N-end rule pathway enzymes

ABSTRACT

This invention relates to an isolated nucleic acid fragment encoding an enzyme involved in the N-end rule pathway of protein degradation. The invention also relates to the construction of a chimeric gene encoding all or a portion of the enzyme involved in the N-end rule pathway of protein degradation, in sense or antisense orientation, wherein expression of the chimeric gene results in production of altered levels of the enzyme involved in the N-end rule pathway of protein degradation in a transformed host cell.

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/096,225, filed Aug. 12, 1998.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention is in the field of plant molecular biology. More specifically, this invention pertains to nucleic acid fragments encoding enzymes involved in the N-end rule pathway of protein degradation in plants and seeds.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Cells continuously synthesize proteins from and degrade them into their component amino acids. The function of this seemingly wasteful process is twofold: first, to eliminate abnormal proteins whose accumulation would be harmful to the cell, and second, to permit the regulation of cellular metabolism by eliminating superfluous enzymes and regulatory proteins. The level of an enzyme depends on its rate of degradation as well as its rate of synthesis. Non-selective protein degradation occurs by a lysosomal mechanism. In eukaryotes a cytosolic ATP-dependent mechanism of protein degradation involves ubiquitin. This mechanism is based on the protein's half life which is partially determined by its N-terminal residue, giving this degradation mechanism the name of N-end rule pathway. The enzymes included in this application are involved in the N-end rule pathway of protein degradation.

Arginyl-tRNA-protein transferase (EC 2.3.2.8) is involved in catalyzing the post-translational conjugation of arginine to the amino termini of acceptor proteins. The function of these enzymes in eukaryotes is apparently to conjugate destabilizing amino acids to the amino termini of short-lived proteins. This reaction is a part of the N-end rule pathway of protein degradation. Arabidopsis thaliana encodes a single form of arginyl-tRNA-protein transferase while two forms, which are differentially spliced, are encoded by mice and humans (Kwon et al. (1999) Mol. Cell. Biol. 19:182-193). A soybean EST encoding a peptide with similarities to cDNAs encoding arginyl-tRNA-protein transferase is found in the NCBI EST database having NCBI General Identifier No.4313355.

The 26S proteosome is the central protease of the ubiquitin-dependent pathway of protein degradation. The 26S proteosome is formed by a barrel-shaped 20S core complex and two polar 19S complexes. The 20S particle contains the protease activity while the 19S complex contains isopeptidase, ATPase, and protein unfolding activities (Koster et al. (1995) Mol. Biol. Rep. 21:11-20). Isopeptidases, also called ubiquitin carboxy-terminal hydrolases, belong to a family containing at least 10 different members. A 100 kDa de-ubiquitinating enzyme isolated from human tissues has been shown to contain “His and Cys domains” which are likely involved in the de-ubiquitinating activity, and an aspartic acid domain of unknown function (Falquet et al. (1995) FEBS Lett. 376:233-237). Because this enzyme cleaves peptide-linked and isopeptide-linked ubiquitin moieties from substrates, it is considered a de-ubiquitinase, instead of a isopeptidase (Falquet et al. (1995) FEBS Lett. 359:73-77). An alignment of de-ubiquitinating enzymes shows that de-ubiquitinase is 99% similar to isopeptidase T. De-ubiquitinase contains a 23 amino acid insertion at position 629 of isopeptidase T which may account for the difference in activity between the two enzymes. Isopeptidase T is a monomeric ubiquitin-binding protein whose activity is inhibited by iodoacetamide and ubiquitin aldehyde (Hadari et al. (1992) J. Biol. Chem. 267:719-727). A corn EST encoding a peptide with similarities to cDNAs encoding isopeptidase T is found in the NCBI database having NCBI General Identifier No. 4688518. Rice ESTs encoding peptides with similarities to cDNAs encoding isopeptidase T are found in the NCBI database having NCBI General Identifier Nos. 3768668 and 701567.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The instant invention relates to isolated nucleic acid fragments encoding enzymes involved in the N-end rule pathway of protein degradation. Specifically, this invention concerns an isolated nucleic acid fragment encoding an arginyl-tRNA-protein transferase or an isopeptidase T and an isolated nucleic acid fragment that is substantially similar to an isolated nucleic acid fragment encoding an arginyl-tRNA-protein transferase or an isopeptidase T. In addition, this invention relates to a nucleic acid fragment that is complementary to the nucleic acid fragment encoding arginyl-tRNA-protein transferase or isopeptidase T.

An additional embodiment of the instant invention pertains to a polypeptide encoding all or a substantial portion of an enzyme involved in the N-end rule pathway of protein degradation selected from the group consisting of arginyl-tRNA-protein transferase and isopeptidase T.

In another embodiment, the instant invention relates to a chimeric gene encoding an arginyl-tRNA-protein transferase or an isopeptidase T, or to a chimeric gene that comprises a nucleic acid fragment that is complementary to a nucleic acid fragment encoding an arginyl-tRNA-protein transferase or an isopeptidase T, operably linked to suitable regulatory sequences, wherein expression of the chimeric gene results in production of levels of the encoded protein in a transformed host cell that is altered (i.e., increased or decreased) from the level produced in an untransformed host cell.

In a further embodiment, the instant invention concerns a transformed host cell comprising in its genome a chimeric gene encoding an arginyl-tRNA-protein transferase or an isopeptidase T, operably linked to suitable regulatory sequences. Expression of the chimeric gene results in production of altered levels of the encoded protein in the transformed host cell. The transformed host cell can be of eukaryotic or prokaryotic origin, and include cells derived from higher plants and microorganisms. The invention also includes transformed plants that arise from transformed host cells of higher plants, and seeds derived from such transformed plants.

An additional embodiment of the instant invention concerns a method of altering the level of expression of an arginyl-tRNA-protein transferase or an isopeptidase T in a transformed host cell comprising: a) transforming a host cell with a chimeric gene comprising a nucleic acid fragment encoding an arginyl-tRNA-protein transferase or an isopeptidase T; and b) growing the transformed host cell under conditions that are suitable for expression of the chimeric gene wherein expression of the chimeric gene results in production of altered levels of arginyl-tRNA-protein transferase or isopeptidase T in the transformed host cell.

An addition embodiment of the instant invention concerns a method for obtaining a nucleic acid fragment encoding all or a substantial portion of an amino acid sequence encoding an arginyl-tRNA-protein transferase or an isopeptidase T.

A further embodiment of the instant invention is a method for evaluating at least one compound for its ability to inhibit the activity of an arginyl-tRNA-protein transferase or an isopeptidase T, the method comprising the steps of: (a) transforming a host cell with a chimeric gene comprising a nucleic acid fragment encoding an arginyl-tRNA-protein transferase or an isopeptidase T, operably linked to suitable regulatory sequences; (b) growing the transformed host cell under conditions that are suitable for expression of the chimeric gene wherein expression of the chimeric gene results in production of arginyl-tRNA-protein transferase or isopeptidase T in the transformed host cell; (c) optionally purifying the arginyl-tRNA-protein transferase or the isopeptidase T expressed by the transformed host cell; (d) treating the arginyl-tRNA-protein transferase or the isopeptidase T with a compound to be tested; and (e) comparing the activity of the arginyl-tRNA-protein transferase or the isopeptidase T that has been treated with a test compound to the activity of an untreated arginyl-tRNA-protein transferase or isopeptidase T, thereby selecting compounds with potential for inhibitory activity.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEQUENCE LISTING

The invention can be more fully understood from the following detailed description and the accompanying Sequence Listing which form a part of this application.

Table 1 lists the polypeptides that are described herein, the designation of the cDNA clones that comprise the nucleic acid fragments encoding polypeptides representing all or a substantial portion of these polypeptides, and the corresponding identifier (SEQ ID NO:) as used in the attached Sequence Listing. The sequence descriptions and Sequence Listing attached hereto comply with the rules governing nucleotide and/or amino acid sequence disclosures in patent applications as set forth in 37 C.F.R. §1.821-1.825.

TABLE 1 Enzymes Involved in the N-End Rule Pathway of Protein Degradation SEQ ID NO: Protein Clone Designation (Nucleotide) (Amino Acid) Soybean arginyl-tRNA-protein ses2w.pk0008.d11 1 2 transferase Wheat arginyl-tRNA-protein wr1.pk0035.f3 3 4 transferase Corn isopeptidase T cc3.pk0006.b12 5 6 Rice isopeptidase T rr1.pk0049.c1 7 8 Corn isopeptidase T Contig of: 9 10 cen3n.pk0018.e1 cen3n.pk0032.f11 Soybean isopeptidase T Contig of: 11 12 sdp3c.pk019.c18 ss1.pk0036.b8 Wheat isopeptidase T wdk5c.pk0001.d10 13 14 Wheat isopeptidase T wlm0.pk042.e15 15 16

The Sequence Listing contains the one letter code for nucleotide sequence characters and the three letter codes for amino acids as defined in conformity with the IUPAC-IUBMB standards described in Nucleic Acids Research 13:3021-3030 (1985) and in the Biochemical Journal 219 (No. 2):345-373 (1984) which are herein incorporated by reference. The symbols and format used for nucleotide and amino acid sequence data comply with the rules set forth in 37 C.F.R. §1.822.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In the context of this disclosure, a number of terms shall be utilized. As used herein, a “nucleic acid fragment” is a polymer of RNA or DNA that is single- or double-stranded, optionally containing synthetic, non-natural or altered nucleotide bases. A nucleic acid fragment in the form of a polymer of DNA may be comprised of one or more segments of cDNA, genomic DNA or synthetic DNA.

As used herein, “contig” refers to a nucleotide sequence that is assembled from two or more constituent nucleotide sequences that share common or overlapping regions of sequence homology. For example, the nucleotide sequences of two or more nucleic acid fragments can be compared and aligned in order to identify common or overlapping sequences. Where common or overlapping sequences exist between two or more nucleic acid fragments, the sequences (and thus their corresponding nucleic acid fragments) can be assembled into a single contiguous nucleotide sequence.

As used herein, “substantially similar” refers to nucleic acid fragments wherein changes in one or more nucleotide bases results in substitution of one or more amino acids, but do not affect the functional properties of the polypeptide encoded by the nucleotide sequence. “Substantially similar” also refers to nucleic acid fragments wherein changes in one or more nucleotide bases does not affect the ability of the nucleic acid fragment to mediate alteration of gene expression by gene silencing through for example antisense or co-suppression technology. “Substantially similar” also refers to modifications of the nucleic acid fragments of the instant invention such as deletion or insertion of one or more nucleotides that do not substantially affect the functional properties of the resulting transcript vis-a-vis the ability to mediate gene silencing or alteration of the functional properties of the resulting protein molecule. It is therefore understood that the invention encompasses more than the specific exemplary nucleotide or amino acid sequences and includes functional equivalents thereof.

For example, it is well known in the art that antisense suppression and co-suppression of gene expression may be accomplished using nucleic acid fragments representing less than the entire coding region of a gene, and by nucleic acid fragments that do not share 100% sequence identity with the gene to be suppressed. Moreover, alterations in a nucleic acid fragment which result in the production of a chemically equivalent amino acid at a given site, but do not effect the functional properties of the encoded polypeptide, are well known in the art. Thus, a codon for the amino acid alanine, a hydrophobic amino acid, may be substituted by a codon encoding another less hydrophobic residue, such as glycine, or a more hydrophobic residue, such as valine, leucine, or isoleucine. Similarly, changes which result in substitution of one negatively charged residue for another, such as aspartic acid for glutamic acid, or one positively charged residue for another, such as lysine for arginine, can also be expected to produce a functionally equivalent product. Nucleotide changes which result in alteration of the N-terminal and C-terminal portions of the polypeptide molecule would also not be expected to alter the activity of the polypeptide. Each of the proposed modifications is well within the routine skill in the art, as is determination of retention of biological activity of the encoded products.

Moreover, substantially similar nucleic acid fragments may also be characterized by their ability to hybridize. Estimates of such homology are provided by either DNA-DNA or DNA-RNA hybridization under conditions of stringency as is well understood by those skilled in the art (Hames and Higgins, Eds. (1985) Nucleic Acid Hybridisation, IRL Press, Oxford, U.K.). Stringency conditions can be adjusted to screen for moderately similar fragments, such as homologous sequences from distantly related organisms, to highly similar fragments, such as genes that duplicate functional enzymes from closely related organisms. Post-hybridization washes determine stringency conditions. One set of preferred conditions uses a series of washes starting with 6×SSC, 0.5% SDS at room temperature for 15 min, then repeated with 2×SSC, 0.5% SDS at 45° C. for 30 min, and then repeated twice with 0.2×SSC, 0.5% SDS at 50° C. for 30 min. A more preferred set of stringent conditions uses higher temperatures in which the washes are identical to those above except for the temperature of the final two 30 min washes in 0.2×SSC, 0.5% SDS was increased to 60° C. Another preferred set of highly stringent conditions uses two final washes in 0.1×SSC, 0.1% SDS at 65° C.

Substantially similar nucleic acid fragments of the instant invention may also be characterized by the percent identity of the amino acid sequences that they encode to the amino acid sequences disclosed herein, as determined by algorithms commonly employed by those skilled in this art. Preferred are those nucleic acid fragments whose nucleotide sequences encode amino acid sequences that are 80% identical to the amino acid sequences reported herein. More preferred nucleic acid fragments encode amino acid sequences that are 90% identical to the amino acid sequences reported herein. Most preferred are nucleic acid fragments that encode amino acid sequences that are 95% identical to the amino acid sequences reported herein. Sequence alignments and percent identity calculations were performed using the Megalign program of the LASERGENE bioinformatics computing suite (DNASTAR Inc., Madison, Wis.). Multiple alignment of the sequences was performed using the Clustal method of alignment (Higgins and Sharp (1989) CABIOS. 5:151-153) with the default parameters (GAP PENALTY=10, GAP LENGTH PENALTY=10). Default parameters for pairwise alignments using the Clustal method were KTUPLE 1, GAP PENALTY=3, WINDOW=5 and DIAGONALS SAVED=5.

A “substantial portion” of an amino acid or nucleotide sequence comprises an amino acid or a nucleotide sequence that is sufficient to afford putative identification of the protein or gene that the amino acid or nucleotide sequence comprises. Amino acid and nucleotide sequences can be evaluated either manually by one skilled in the art, or by using computer-based sequence comparison and identification tools that employ algorithms such as BLAST (Basic Local Alignment Search Tool; Altschul et al. (1993) J. Mol. Biol. 215:403-410; see also www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/BLAST/). In general, a sequence of ten or more contiguous amino acids or thirty or more contiguous nucleotides is necessary in order to putatively identify a polypeptide or nucleic acid sequence as homologous to a known protein or gene. Moreover, with respect to nucleotide sequences, gene-specific oligonucleotide probes comprising 30 or more contiguous nucleotides may be used in sequence-dependent methods of gene identification (e.g., Southern hybridization) and isolation (e.g., in situ hybridization of bacterial colonies or bacteriophage plaques). In addition, short oligonucleotides of 12 or more nucleotides may be used as amplification primers in PCR in order to obtain a particular nucleic acid fragment comprising the primers. Accordingly, a “substantial portion” of a nucleotide sequence comprises a nucleotide sequence that will afford specific identification and/or isolation of a nucleic acid fragment comprising the sequence. The instant specification teaches amino acid and nucleotide sequences encoding polypeptides that comprise one or more particular plant proteins. The skilled artisan, having the benefit of the sequences as reported herein, may now use all or a substantial portion of the disclosed sequences for purposes known to those skilled in this art. Accordingly, the instant invention comprises the complete sequences as reported in the accompanying Sequence Listing, as well as substantial portions of those sequences as defined above.

“Codon degeneracy” refers to divergence in the genetic code permitting variation of the nucleotide sequence without affecting the amino acid sequence of an encoded polypeptide. Accordingly, the instant invention relates to any nucleic acid fragment comprising a nucleotide sequence that encodes all or a substantial portion of the amino acid sequences set forth herein. The skilled artisan is well aware of the “codon-bias” exhibited by a specific host cell in usage of nucleotide codons to specify a given amino acid. Therefore, when synthesizing a nucleic acid fragment for improved expression in a host cell, it is desirable to design the nucleic acid fragment such that its frequency of codon usage approaches the frequency of preferred codon usage of the host cell.

“Synthetic nucleic acid fragments” can be assembled from oligonucleotide building blocks that are chemically synthesized using procedures known to those skilled in the art. These building blocks are ligated and annealed to form larger nucleic acid fragments which may then be enzymatically assembled to construct the entire desired nucleic acid fragment. “Chemically synthesized”, as related to nucleic acid fragment, means that the component nucleotides were assembled in vitro. Manual chemical synthesis of nucleic acid fragments may be accomplished using well established procedures, or automated chemical synthesis can be performed using one of a number of commercially available machines. Accordingly, the nucleic acid fragments can be tailored for optimal gene expression based on optimization of nucleotide sequence to reflect the codon bias of the host cell. The skilled artisan appreciates the likelihood of successful gene expression if codon usage is biased towards those codons favored by the host. Determination of preferred codons can be based on a survey of genes derived from the host cell where sequence information is available.

“Gene” refers to a nucleic acid fragment that expresses a specific protein, including regulatory sequences preceding (5′ non-coding sequences) and following (3′ non-coding sequences) the coding sequence. “Native gene” refers to a gene as found in nature with its own regulatory sequences. “Chimeric gene” refers any gene that is not a native gene, comprising regulatory and coding sequences that are not found together in nature. Accordingly, a chimeric gene may comprise regulatory sequences and coding sequences that are derived from different sources, or regulatory sequences and coding sequences derived from the same source, but arranged in a manner different than that found in nature. “Endogenous gene” refers to a native gene in its natural location in the genome of an organism. A “foreign” gene refers to a gene not normally found in the host organism, but that is introduced into the host organism by gene transfer. Foreign genes can comprise native genes inserted into a non-native organism, or chimeric genes. A “transgene” is a gene that has been introduced into the genome by a transformation procedure.

“Coding sequence” refers to a nucleotide sequence that codes for a specific amino acid sequence. “Regulatory sequences” refer to nucleotide sequences located upstream (5′ non-coding sequences), within, or downstream (3′ non-coding sequences) of a coding sequence, and which influence the transcription, RNA processing or stability, or translation of the associated coding sequence. Regulatory sequences may include promoters, translation leader sequences, introns, and polyadenylation recognition sequences.

“Promoter” refers to a nucleotide sequence capable of controlling the expression of a coding sequence or functional RNA. In general, a coding sequence is located 3′ to a promoter sequence. The promoter sequence consists of proximal and more distal upstream elements, the latter elements often referred to as enhancers. Accordingly, an “enhancer” is a nucleotide sequence which can stimulate promoter activity and may be an innate element of the promoter or a heterologous element inserted to enhance the level or tissue-specificity of a promoter. Promoters may be derived in their entirety from a native gene, or be composed of different elements derived from different promoters found in nature, or even comprise synthetic nucleotide segments. It is understood by those skilled in the art that different promoters may direct the expression of a gene in different tissues or cell types, or at different stages of development, or in response to different environmental conditions. Promoters which cause a nucleic acid fragment to be expressed in most cell types at most times are commonly referred to as “constitutive promoters”. New promoters of various types useful in plant cells are constantly being discovered; numerous examples may be found in the compilation by Okamuro and Goldberg (1989) Biochemistry of Plants 15:1-82. It is further recognized that since in most cases the exact boundaries of regulatory sequences have not been completely defined, nucleic acid fragments of different lengths may have identical promoter activity.

The “translation leader sequence” refers to a nucleotide sequence located between the promoter sequence of a gene and the coding sequence. The translation leader sequence is present in the fully processed mRNA upstream of the translation start sequence. The translation leader sequence may affect processing of the primary transcript to mRNA, mRNA stability or translation efficiency. Examples of translation leader sequences have been described (Turner and Foster (1995) Molecular Biotechnology 3:225).

The “3′ non-coding sequences” refer to nucleotide sequences located downstream of a coding sequence and include polyadenylation recognition sequences and other sequences 35 encoding regulatory signals capable of affecting MRNA processing or gene expression. The polyadenylation signal is usually characterized by affecting the addition of polyadenylic acid tracts to the 3′ end of the MRNA precursor. The use of different 3′ non-coding sequences is exemplified by Ingelbrecht et al. (1989) Plant Cell 1:671-680.

“RNA transcript” refers to the product resulting from RNA polymerase-catalyzed transcription of a DNA sequence. When the RNA transcript is a perfect complementary copy of the DNA sequence, it is referred to as the primary transcript or it may be a RNA sequence derived from posttranscriptional processing of the primary transcript and is referred to as the mature RNA. “Messenger RNA (mRNA)” refers to the RNA that is without introns and that can be translated into polypeptide by the cell. “cDNA” refers to a double-stranded DNA that is complementary to and derived from mRNA. “Sense” RNA refers to an RNA transcript that includes the mRNA and so can be translated into a polypeptide by the cell. “Antisense RNA” refers to an RNA transcript that is complementary to all or part of a target primary transcript or mRNA and that blocks the expression of a target gene (see U.S. Pat. No. 5,107,065, incorporated herein by reference). The complementarity of an antisense RNA may be with any part of the specific nucleotide sequence, i.e., at the 5′ non-coding sequence, 3′ non-coding sequence, introns, or the coding sequence. “Functional RNA” refers to sense RNA, antisense RNA, ribozyme RNA, or other RNA that may not be translated but yet has an effect on cellular processes.

The term “operably linked” refers to the association of two or more nucleic acid fragments on a single nucleic acid fragment so that the function of one is affected by the other. For example, a promoter is operably linked with a coding sequence when it is capable of affecting the expression of that coding sequence (i.e., that the coding sequence is under the transcriptional control of the promoter). Coding sequences can be operably linked to regulatory sequences in sense or antisense orientation.

The term “expression”, as used herein, refers to the transcription and stable accumulation of sense (mRNA) or antisense RNA derived from the nucleic acid fragment of the invention. Expression may also refer to translation of mRNA into a polypeptide. “Antisense inhibition” refers to the production of antisense RNA transcripts capable of suppressing the expression of the target protein. “Overexpression” refers to the production of a gene product in transgenic organisms that exceeds levels of production in normal or non-transformed organisms. “Co-suppression” refers to the production of sense RNA transcripts capable of suppressing the expression of identical or substantially similar foreign or endogenous genes (U.S. Pat. No. 5,231,020, incorporated herein by reference).

“Altered levels” refers to the production of gene product(s) in transgenic organisms in amounts or proportions that differ from that of normal or non-transformed organisms.

“Mature” protein refers to a post-translationally processed polypeptide; i.e., one from which any pre- or propeptides present in the primary translation product have been removed. “Precursor” protein refers to the primary product of translation of mRNA; i.e., with pre- and propeptides still present. Pre- and propeptides may be but are not limited to intracellular localization signals.

A “chloroplast transit peptide” is an amino acid sequence which is translated in conjunction with a protein and directs the protein to the chloroplast or other plastid types present in the cell in which the protein is made. “Chloroplast transit sequence” refers to a nucleotide sequence that encodes a chloroplast transit peptide. A “signal peptide” is an amino acid sequence which is translated in conjunction with a protein and directs the protein to the secretory system (Chrispeels (1991) Ann. Rev. Plant Phys. Plant Mol. Biol. 42:21-53). If the protein is to be directed to a vacuole, a vacuolar targeting signal (supra) can further be added, or if to the endoplasmic reticulum, an endoplasmic reticulum retention signal (supra) may be added. If the protein is to be directed to the nucleus, any signal peptide present should be removed and instead a nuclear localization signal included (Raikhel (1992) Plant Phys. 100:1627-1632).

“Transformation” refers to the transfer of a nucleic acid fragment into the genome of a host organism, resulting in genetically stable inheritance. Host organisms containing the transformed nucleic acid fragments are referred to as “transgenic” organisms. Examples of methods of plant transformation include Agrobacterium-mediated transformation (De Blaere et al. (1987) Meth. Enzymol. 143:277) and particle-accelerated or “gene gun” transformation technology (Klein et al. (1987) Nature (London) 327:70-73; U.S. Pat. No. 4,945,050, incorporated herein by reference).

Standard recombinant DNA and molecular cloning techniques used herein are well 20 known in the art and are described more fully in Sambrook et al. Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual; Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press: Cold Spring Harbor, 1989 (hereinafter “Maniatis”).

Nucleic acid fragments encoding at least a portion of several enzymes involved in the N-end rule pathway of protein degradation have been isolated and identified by comparison of random plant cDNA sequences to public databases containing nucleotide and protein sequences using the BLAST algorithms well known to those skilled in the art. The nucleic acid fragments of the instant invention may be used to isolate cDNAs and genes encoding homologous proteins from the same or other plant species. Isolation of homologous genes using sequence-dependent protocols is well known in the art. Examples of sequence-dependent protocols include, but are not limited to, methods of nucleic acid hybridization, and methods of DNA and RNA amplification as exemplified by various uses of nucleic acid amplification technologies (e.g., polymerase chain reaction, ligase chain reaction).

For example, genes encoding other arginyl-tRNA-protein transferases or isopeptidase Ts, either as cDNAs or genomic DNAs, could be isolated directly by using all or a portion of the instant nucleic acid fragments as DNA hybridization probes to screen libraries from any desired plant employing methodology well known to those skilled in the art. Specific oligonucleotide probes based upon the instant nucleic acid sequences can be designed and synthesized by methods known in the art (Maniatis). Moreover, the entire sequences can be used directly to synthesize DNA probes by methods known to the skilled artisan such as random primer DNA labeling, nick translation, or end-labeling techniques, or RNA probes using available in vitro transcription systems. In addition, specific primers can be designed and used to amplify a part or all of the instant sequences. The resulting amplification products can be labeled directly during amplification reactions or labeled after amplification reactions, and used as probes to isolate full length cDNA or genomic fragments under conditions of appropriate stringency.

In addition, two short segments of the instant nucleic acid fragments may be used in polymerase chain reaction protocols to amplify longer nucleic acid fragments encoding homologous genes from DNA or RNA. The polymerase chain reaction may also be performed on a library of cloned nucleic acid fragments wherein the sequence of one primer is derived from the instant nucleic acid fragments, and the sequence of the other primer takes advantage of the presence of the polyadenylic acid tracts to the 3′ end of the mRNA precursor encoding plant genes. Alternatively, the second primer sequence may be based upon sequences derived from the cloning vector. For example, the skilled artisan can follow the RACE protocol (Frohman et al. (1988) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 85:8998-9002) to generate cDNAs by using PCR to amplify copies of the region between a single point in the transcript and the 3′ or 5′ end. Primers oriented in the 3′ and 5′ directions can be designed from the instant sequences. Using commercially available 3′ RACE or 5′ RACE systems (BRL), specific 3′ or 5′ cDNA fragments can be isolated (Ohara et al. (1989) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 86:5673-5677; Loh et al. (1989) Science 243:217-220). Products generated by the 3′ and 5′ RACE procedures can be combined to generate full-length cDNAs (Frohman and Martin (1989) Techniques 1:165).

Availability of the instant nucleotide and deduced amino acid sequences facilitates immunological screening of cDNA expression libraries. Synthetic peptides representing portions of the instant amino acid sequences may be synthesized. These peptides can be used to immunize animals to produce polyclonal or monoclonal antibodies with specificity for peptides or proteins comprising the amino acid sequences. These antibodies can be then be used to screen cDNA expression libraries to isolate full-length cDNA clones of interest (Lerner (1984) Adv. Immunol. 36:1; Maniatis).

The nucleic acid fragments of the instant invention may be used to create transgenic plants in which the disclosed polypeptides are present at present at higher or lower levels than normal or in cell types or developmental stages in which they are not normally found. This would have the effect of altering the level of protein degradation in those cells. Prolonging the half-life of short-lived proteins may lead to cell proliferation which could then increase the rate of growth of the plants.

Overexpression of the proteins of the instant invention may be accomplished by first constructing a chimeric gene in which the coding region is operably linked to a promoter capable of directing expression of a gene in the desired tissues at the desired stage of development. For reasons of convenience, the chimeric gene may comprise promoter sequences and translation leader sequences derived from the same genes. 3′ Non-coding sequences encoding transcription termination signals may also be provided. The instant chimeric gene may also comprise one or more introns in order to facilitate gene expression.

Plasmid vectors comprising the instant chimeric gene can then be constructed. The choice of plasmid vector is dependent upon the method that will be used to transform host plants. The skilled artisan is well aware of the genetic elements that must be present on the plasmid vector in order to successfully transform, select and propagate host cells containing the chimeric gene. The skilled artisan will also recognize that different independent transformation events will result in different levels and patterns of expression (Jones et al. (1985) EMBO J. 4:2411-2418; De Almeida et al. (1989) Mol. Gen. Genetics 218:78-86), and thus that multiple events must be screened in order to obtain lines displaying the desired expression level and pattern. Such screening may be accomplished by Southern analysis of DNA, Northern analysis of mRNA expression, Western analysis of protein expression, or phenotypic analysis.

For some applications it may be useful to direct the instant polypeptides to different cellular compartments, or to facilitate its secretion from the cell. It is thus envisioned that the chimeric gene described above may be further supplemented by altering the coding sequence to encode the instant polypeptides with appropriate intracellular targeting sequences such as transit sequences (Keegstra (1989) Cell 56:247-253), signal sequences or sequences encoding endoplasmic reticulum localization (Chrispeels (1991) Ann. Rev. Plant Phys. Plant Mol. Biol. 42:21-53), or nuclear localization signals (Raikhel (1992) Plant Phys. 100:1627-1632) added and/or with targeting sequences that are already present removed. While the references cited give examples of each of these, the list is not exhaustive and more targeting signals of utility may be discovered in the future.

It may also be desirable to reduce or eliminate expression of genes encoding the instant polypeptides in plants for some applications. In order to accomplish this, a chimeric gene designed for co-suppression of the instant polypeptide can be constructed by linking a gene or gene fragment encoding that polypeptide to plant promoter sequences. Alternatively, a chimeric gene designed to express antisense RNA for all or part of the instant nucleic acid fragment can be constructed by linking the gene or gene fragment in reverse orientation to plant promoter sequences. Either the co-suppression or antisense chimeric genes could be introduced into plants via transformation wherein expression of the corresponding endogenous genes are reduced or eliminated.

Molecular genetic solutions to the generation of plants with altered gene expression have a decided advantage over more traditional plant breeding approaches. Changes in plant phenotypes can be produced by specifically inhibiting expression of one or more genes by antisense inhibition or cosuppression (U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,190,931, 5,107,065 and 5,283,323). An antisense or cosuppression construct would act as a dominant negative regulator of gene activity. While conventional mutations can yield negative regulation of gene activity these effects are most likely recessive. The dominant negative regulation available with a transgenic approach may be advantageous from a breeding perspective. In addition, the ability to restrict the expression of specific phenotype to the reproductive tissues of the plant by the use of tissue specific promoters may confer agronomic advantages relative to conventional mutations which may have an effect in all tissues in which a mutant gene is ordinarily expressed.

The person skilled in the art will know that special considerations are associated with the use of antisense or cosuppression technologies in order to reduce expression of particular genes. For example, the proper level of expression of sense or antisense genes may require the use of different chimeric genes utilizing different regulatory elements known to the skilled artisan. Once transgenic plants are obtained by one of the methods described above, it will be necessary to screen individual transgenics for those that most effectively display the desired phenotype. Accordingly, the skilled artisan will develop methods for screening large numbers of transformants. The nature of these screens will generally be chosen on practical grounds, and is not an inherent part of the invention. For example, one can screen by looking for changes in gene expression by using antibodies specific for the protein encoded by the gene being suppressed, or one could establish assays that specifically measure enzyme activity. A preferred method will be one which allows large numbers of samples to be processed rapidly, since it will be expected that a large number of transformants will be negative for the desired phenotype.

The instant polypeptides (or portions thereof) may be produced in heterologous host cells, particularly in the cells of microbial hosts, and can be used to prepare antibodies to the these proteins by methods well known to those skilled in the art. The antibodies are useful for detecting the polypeptides of the instant invention in situ in cells or in vitro in cell extracts. Preferred heterologous host cells for production of the instant polypeptides are microbial hosts. Microbial expression systems and expression vectors containing regulatory sequences that direct high level expression of foreign proteins are well known to those skilled in the art. Any of these could be used to construct a chimeric gene for production of the instant polypeptides. This chimeric gene could then be introduced into appropriate microorganisms via transformation to provide high level expression of the encoded enzymes involved in the N-end rule pathway of protein degradation. An example of a vector for high level expression of the instant polypeptides in a bacterial host is provided (Example 7).

Additionally, the instant polypeptides can be used as targets to facilitate design and/or identification of inhibitors of those enzymes that may be useful as herbicides. This is desirable because the polypeptides described herein catalyze various steps in protein degradation. Accordingly, inhibition of the activity of one or more of the enzymes described herein could lead to inhibition of plant growth. Thus, the instant polypeptides could be appropriate for new herbicide discovery and design.

All or a substantial portion of the nucleic acid fragments of the instant invention may also be used as probes for genetically and physically mapping the genes that they are a part of, and as markers for traits linked to those genes. Such information may be useful in plant breeding in order to develop lines with desired phenotypes. For example, the instant nucleic acid fragments may be used as restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) markers. Southern blots (Maniatis) of restriction-digested plant genomic DNA may be probed with the nucleic acid fragments of the instant invention. The resulting banding patterns may then be subjected to genetic analyses using computer programs such as MapMaker (Lander et al. (1987) Genomics 1:174-181) in order to construct a genetic map. In addition, the nucleic acid fragments of the instant invention may be used to probe Southern blots containing restriction endonuclease-treated genomic DNAs of a set of individuals representing parent and progeny of a defmed genetic cross. Segregation of the DNA polymorphisms is noted and used to calculate the position of the instant nucleic acid sequence in the genetic map previously obtained using this population (Botstein et al. (1980) Am. J Hum. Genet. 32:314-331).

The production and use of plant gene-derived probes for use in genetic mapping is described in Bernatzky and Tanksley (1986) Plant Mol. Biol. Reporter 4(l):37-41. Numerous publications describe genetic mapping of specific cDNA clones using the methodology outlined above or variations thereof. For example, F2 intercross populations, backcross populations, randomly mated populations, near isogenic lines, and other sets of individuals may be used for mapping. Such methodologies are well known to those skilled in the art.

Nucleic acid probes derived from the instant nucleic acid sequences may also be used for physical mapping (i.e., placement of sequences on physical maps; see Hoheisel et al. In: Nonmammalian Genomic Analysis: A Practical Guide, Academic press 1996, pp. 319-346, and references cited therein).

In another embodiment, nucleic acid probes derived from the instant nucleic acid sequences may be used in direct fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) mapping (Trask (1991) Trends Genet. 7:149-154). Although current methods of FISH mapping favor use of large clones (several to several hundred KB; see Laan et al. (1995) Genome Research 5:13-20), improvements in sensitivity may allow performance of FISH mapping using shorter probes.

A variety of nucleic acid amplification-based methods of genetic and physical apping may be carried out using the instant nucleic acid sequences. Examples include llele-specific amplification (Kazazian (1989) J. Lab. Clin. Med. 11:95-96), polymorphism of PCR-amplified fragments (CAPS; Sheffield et al. (1993) Genomics 16:325-332), allele-specific ligation (Landegren et al. (1988) Science 241:1077-1080), nucleotide extension reactions (Sokolov (1990) Nucleic Acid Res. 18:3671), Radiation Hybrid Mapping (Walter et al. (1997) Nature Genetics 7:22-28) and Happy Mapping (Dear and Cook (1989) Nucleic Acid Res. 1 7:6795-6807). For these methods, the sequence of a nucleic acid fragment is used to design and produce primer pairs for use in the amplification reaction or in primer extension reactions. The design of such primers is well known to those skilled in the art. In methods employing PCR-based genetic mapping, it may be necessary to identify DNA sequence differences between the parents of the mapping cross in the region corresponding to the instant nucleic acid sequence. This, however, is generally not necessary for mapping methods.

Loss of fuiction mutant phenotypes may be identified for the instant cDNA clones either by targeted gene disruption protocols or by identifying specific mutants for these genes contained in a maize population carrying mutations in all possible genes (Ballinger and Benzer (1989) Proc. Natl. Acad Sci USA 86:9402-9406; Koes et al. (1995) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci USA 92:8149-8153; Bensen et al. (1995) Plant Cell 7:75-84). The latter approach may be accomplished in two ways. First, short segments of the instant nucleic acid fragments may be used in polymerase chain reaction protocols in conjunction with a mutation tag sequence primer on DNAs prepared from a population of plants in which Mutator transposons or some other mutation-causing DNA element has been introduced (see Bensen, supra). The amplification of a specific DNA fragment with these primers indicates the insertion of the mutation tag element in or near the plant gene encoding the instant polypeptides. Alternatively, the instant nucleic acid fragment may be used as a hybridization probe against PCR amplification products generated from the mutation population using the mutation tag sequence primer in conjunction with an arbitrary genomic site primer, such as that for a restriction enzyme site-anchored synthetic adaptor. With either method, a plant containing a mutation in the endogenous gene encoding the instant polypeptides can be identified and obtained. This mutant plant can then be used to determine or confirm the natural finction of the instant polypeptides disclosed herein.

EXAMPLES

The present invention is further defined in the following Examples, in which all parts and percentages are by weight and degrees are Celsius, unless otherwise stated. It should be understood that these Examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only. From the above discussion and these Examples, one skilled in the art can ascertain the essential characteristics of this invention, and without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, can make various changes and modifications of the invention to adapt it to various usages and conditions.

Example 1 Composition of cDNA Libraries; Isolation and Sequencing of cDNA Clones

cDNA libraries representing mRNAs from various corn, rice, soybean and wheat tissues were prepared. The characteristics of the libraries are described below.

TABLE 2 cDNA Libraries from Corn, Rice, Soybean and Wheat Library Tissue Clone cc3 Corn Callus Embryo cc3.pk0006.b12 cen3n Corn Endosperm 20 Days After Pollination* cen3n.pk0018.e1 cen3n.pk0032 rr1 Rice Root of Two Week Old Developing Seedling rr1.pk0049.c1 sdp3c Soybean Developing Pods (8-9 mm) sdp3c.pk019.c18 ses2w Soybean Embryogenic Suspension 2 Weeks After ses2w.pk0008.d11 Subculture ss1 Soybean Seedling 5-10 Days After Germination ss1.pk0036.b8 wdk5c Wheat Developing Kernel, 30 Days After Anthesis wdk5c.pk0001.d10 wlm0 Wheat Seedlings 0 Hour After Inoculation With Erysiphe wlm0.pk042.e15 graminis f. sp tritici wr1 Wheat Root From 7 Day Old Seedling wr1.pk0035.f3 *This library was normalized essentially as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,482,845, incorporated herein by reference.

cDNA libraries may be prepared by any one of many methods available. For example, the cDNAs may be introduced into plasmid vectors by first preparing the cDNA libraries in Uni-ZAP™ XR vectors according to the manufacturer's protocol (Stratagene Cloning Systems, La Jolla, Calf.). The Uni-ZAP™ XR libraries are converted into plasmid libraries according to the protocol provided by Stratagene. Upon conversion, cDNA inserts will be contained in the plasmid vector pBluescript. In addition, the cDNAs may be introduced directly into precut Bluescript II SK(+) vectors (Stratagene) using T4 DNA ligase (New England Biolabs), followed by transfection into DH10B cells according to the manufacturer's protocol (GIBCO BRL Products). Once the cDNA inserts are in plasmid vectors, plasmid DNAs are prepared from randomly picked bacterial colonies containing recombinant pBluescript plasmids, or the insert cDNA sequences are amplified via polymerase chain reaction using primers specific for vector sequences flanking the inserted cDNA sequences. Amplified insert DNAs or plasmid DNAs are sequenced in dye-primer sequencing reactions to generate partial cDNA sequences (expressed sequence tags or “ESTs”; see Adams et al., (1991) Science 252:1651-1656). The resulting ESTs are analyzed using a Perkin Elmer Model 377 fluorescent sequencer.

Example 2 Identification of cDNA Clones

cDNA clones encoding enzymes involved in the N-end rule pathway of protein degradation were identified by conducting BLAST (Basic Local Alignment Search Tool; Altschul et al. (1993) J. Mol. Biol. 215:403-410; see also www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/BLAST/) searches for similarity to sequences contained in the BLAST “nr” database (comprising all non-redundant GenBank CDS translations, sequences derived from the 3-dimensional structure Brookhaven Protein Data Bank, the last major release of the SWISS-PROT protein sequence database, EMBL, and DDBJ databases). The cDNA sequences obtained in Example 1 were analyzed for similarity to all publicly available DNA sequences contained in the “nr” database using the BLASTN algorithm provided by the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI). The DNA sequences were translated in all reading frames and compared for similarity to all publicly available protein sequences contained in the “nr” database using the BLASTX algorithm (Gish and States (1993) Nature Genetics 3:266-272) provided by the NCBI. For convenience, the P-value (probability) of observing a match of a cDNA sequence to a sequence contained in the searched databases merely by chance as calculated by BLAST are reported herein as “pLog” values, which represent the negative of the logarithm of the reported P-value. Accordingly, the greater the pLog value, the greater the likelihood that the cDNA sequence and the BLAST “hit” represent homologous proteins.

Example 3

Characterization of cDNA Clones Encoding aArginvl-tRNA-Protein Transferase The BLASTX search using the EST sequences from clones listed in Table 3 revealed similarity of the polypeptides encoded by the cDNAs to arginyl-tRNA-protein transferase from Arabidopsis thaliana (NCBI General Identifier No. 3806098). Shown in Table 3 are the BLAST results for individual ESTs (“EST”), or the sequences of the entire cDNA inserts comprising the indicated cDNA clones (“FIS”):

TABLE 3 BLAST Results for Sequences Encoding Polypeptides Homologous to Arginyl-tRNA-Protein Transferase BLAST pLog Score Clone Status 3806098 Ses2w.pk0008.d11 FIS 178.00 Wr1.pk0035.f3 EST 139.00

The data in Table 4 represents a calculation of the percent identity of the amino acid sequences set forth in SEQ ID NOs:2 and 4 and the Arabidopsis thaliana (NCBI General Identifier No. 3806098) sequence.

TABLE 4 Percent Identity of Amino Acid Sequences Deduced From the Nucleotide Sequences of cDNA Clones Encoding Polypeptides Homologous to arginyl-tRNA-protein transferase Percent Identity to SEQ ID NO. 3806098 2 49.8 4 40.4

Sequence alignments and percent identity calculations were performed using the Megalign program of the LASERGENE bioinformatics computing suite (DNASTAR Inc., Madison, Wis.). Multiple alignment of the sequences was performed using the Clustal method of alignment (Higgins and Sharp (1989) CABIOS. 5:151-153) with the default parameters (GAP PENALTY=10, GAP LENGTH PENALTY=10). Default parameters for pairwise alignments using the Clustal method were KTUPLE 1, GAP PENALTY=3, WINDOW=5 and DIAGONALS SAVED=5. Sequence alignments and BLAST scores and probabilities indicate that the nucleic acid fragments comprising the instant cDNA clones encode a substantial portion of a soybean and a wheat arginyl-tRNA-protein transferases. These sequences represent a soybean variant and the first wheat sequences encoding arginyl-tRNA-protein transferase.

Example 4 Characterization of cDNA Clones Encoding Isopeptidase T

The BLASTX search using the EST sequences from clones listed in Table 5 revealed similarity of the polypeptides encoded by the cDNAs to isopeptidase T from Homo sapiens or Mus musculus (NCBI General Identifier Nos. 4507855 and 3024764, respectively). Shown in Table 5 are the BLAST results for individual ESTs (“EST”), the sequences of the entire cDNA inserts comprising the indicated cDNA clones (“FIS”), contigs assembled from two or more ESTs (“Contig”), or contigs assembled from an FIS and one or more ESTs (“Contig*”)

TABLE 5 BLAST Results for Sequences Encoding Polypeptides Homologous to Isopeptidase T NCBI General Clone Status Identifier No. BLAST pLog Score cc3.pk0006.b12 FIS 4507855 254.00 rr1.pk0049.c1 FIS 4507855 150.00 Contig of: Contig 3024764 33.00 cen3n.pk0018.e1 cen3n.pk0032.f11 Contig of: Contig* 4507855 153.00 sdp3c.pk019.c18 ss1.pk0036.b8 wdk5c.pk0001.d10 FIS 4507855 74.30 wlm0.pk042.e15 EST 3024764 37.40

The data in Table 6 represents a calculation of the percent identity of the amino acid sequences set forth in SEQ ID NOs:6, 8, 10, 12, 14 and 16 and the Homo sapiens and Mus musculus sequences (NCBI General Identifier Nos. 4507855 and 3024764, respectively)

TABLE 6 Percent Identity of Amino Acid Sequences Deduced From the Nucleotide Sequences of cDNA Clones Encoding Polypeptides Homologous to Isopeptidase T Percent Identity to SEQ ID NO. 4507855 3024764  6 44.3 38.3  8 41.1 35.4 10 44.2 38.0 12 41.1 39.2 14 40.9 44.3 16 61.2 35.4

Sequence alignments and percent identity calculations were performed using the Megalign program of the LASERGENE bioinfonnatics computing suite (DNASTAR Inc., Madison, Wis.). Multiple alignment of the sequences was performed using the Clustal method of alignment (Higgins and Sharp (1989) CABIOS. 5:151-153) with the default parameters (GAP PENALTY=10, GAP LENGTH PENALTY=10). Default parameters for pairwise alignments using the Clustal method were KTUPLE 1, GAP PENALTY=3, WINDOW=5 and DIAGONALS SAVED=5. Sequence alignments and BLAST scores and probabilities indicate that the nucleic acid fragments comprising the instant cDNA clones encode a substantial portion of two corn, a rice, a soybean and two wheat isopeptidase Ts. These sequences represent two variant corn, a variant rice and the first soybean and wheat sequences encoding isopeptidase T.

Example 5 Expression of Chimeric Genes in Monocot Cells

A chimeric gene comprising a cDNA encoding the instant polypeptides in sense orientation with respect to the maize 27 kD zein promoter that is located 5′ to the cDNA fragment, and the 10 kD zein 3′ end that is located 3′ to the cDNA fragment, can be constructed. The cDNA fragment of this gene may be generated by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) of the cDNA clone using appropriate oligonucleotide primers. Cloning sites (NcoI or SmaI) can be incorporated into the oligonucleotides to provide proper orientation of the DNA fragment when inserted into the digested vector pML103 as described below. Amplification is then performed in a standard PCR. The amplified DNA is then digested with restriction enzymes NcoI and SmaI and fractionated on an agarose gel. The appropriate band can be isolated from the gel and combined with a 4.9 kb NcoI-SmaI fragment of the plasmid pML103. Plasmid pML103 has been deposited under the terms of the Budapest Treaty at ATCC (American Type Culture Collection, 10801 University Blvd., Manassas, Va. 20110-2209), and bears accession number ATCC 97366. The DNA segment from pML103 contains a 1.05 kb SalI-NcoI promoter fragment of the maize 27 kD zein gene and a 0.96 kb SmaI-SalI fragment from the 3′ end of the maize 10 kD zein gene in the vector pGem9Zf(+) (Promega). Vector and insert DNA can be ligated at 15° C. overnight, essentially as described (Maniatis). The ligated DNA may then be used to transform E. coli XL1-Blue (Epicurian Coli XL-1 Blue™; Stratagene). Bacterial transformants can be screened by restriction enzyme digestion of plasmid DNA and limited nucleotide sequence analysis using the dideoxy chain termination method (Sequenase™ DNA Sequencing Kit; U.S. Biochemical). The resulting plasmid construct would comprise a chimeric gene encoding, in the 5′ to 3′ direction, the maize 27 kD zein promoter, a cDNA fragment encoding the instant polypeptides, and the 10 kD zein 3′ region.

The chimeric gene described above can then be introduced into corn cells by the following procedure. Immature corn embryos can be dissected from developing caryopses derived from crosses of the inbred corn lines H99 and LH132. The embryos are isolated 10 to 11 days after pollination when they are 1.0 to 1.5 mm long. The embryos are then placed with the axis-side facing down and in contact with agarose-solidified N6 medium (Chu et al. (1975) Sci. Sin. Peking 18:659-668). The embryos are kept in the dark at 27° C. Friable embryogenic callus consisting of undifferentiated masses of cells with somatic proembryoids and embryoids borne on suspensor structures proliferates from the scutellum of these immature embryos. The embryogenic callus isolated from the primary explant can be cultured on N6 medium and sub-cultured on this medium every 2 to 3 weeks.

The plasmid, p35S/Ac (obtained from Dr. Peter Eckes, Hoechst Ag, Frankfurt, Germany) may be used in transformation experiments in order to provide for a selectable marker. This plasmid contains the Pat gene (see European Patent Publication 0 242 236) which encodes phosphinothricin acetyl transferase (PAT). The enzyme PAT confers resistance to herbicidal glutamine synthetase inhibitors such as phosphinothricin. The pat gene in p35S/Ac is under the control of the 35S promoter from Cauliflower Mosaic Virus (Odell et al. (1985) Nature 313:810-812) and the 3′ region of the nopaline synthase gene from the T-DNA of the Ti plasmid of Agrobacterium tumefaciens.

The particle bombardment method (Klein et al. (1987) Nature 327:70-73) may be used to transfer genes to the callus culture cells. According to this method, gold particles (1 μm in diameter) are coated with DNA using the following technique. Ten μg of plasmid DNAs are added to 50 μL of a suspension of gold particles (60 mg per mL). Calcium chloride (50 μL of a 2.5 M solution) and spermidine free base (20 μL of a 1.0 M solution) are added to the particles. The suspension is vortexed during the addition of these solutions. After 10 minutes, the tubes are briefly centrifuged (5 sec at 15,000 rpm) and the supernatant removed. The particles are resuspended in 200 μL of absolute ethanol, centrifuged again and the supernatant removed. The ethanol rinse is performed again and the particles resuspended in a final volume of 30 μL of ethanol. An aliquot (5 μL) of the DNA-coated gold particles can be placed in the center of a Kapton™ flying disc (Bio-Rad Labs). The particles are then accelerated into the corn tissue with a Biolistic™ PDS-1000/He (Bio-Rad Instruments, Hercules Calif.), using a helium pressure of 1000 psi, a gap distance of 0.5 cm and a flying distance of 1.0 cm.

For bombardment, the embryogenic tissue is placed on filter paper over agarose-solidified N6 medium. The tissue is arranged as a thin lawn and covered a circular area of about 5 cm in diameter. The petri dish containing the tissue can be placed in the chamber of the PDS-1000/He approximately 8 cm from the stopping screen. The air in the chamber is then evacuated to a vacuum of 28 inches of Hg. The macrocarrier is accelerated with a helium shock wave using a rupture membrane that bursts when the He pressure in the shock tube reaches 1000 psi.

Seven days after bombardment the tissue can be transferred to N6 medium that contains gluphosinate (2 mg per liter) and lacks casein or proline. The tissue continues to grow slowly on this medium. After an additional 2 weeks the tissue can be transferred to fresh N6 medium containing gluphosinate. After 6 weeks, areas of about 1 cm in diameter of actively growing callus can be identified on some of the plates containing the glufosinate-supplemented medium. These calli may continue to grow when sub-cultured on the selective medium.

Plants can be regenerated from the transgenic callus by first transferring clusters of tissue to N6 medium supplemented with 0.2 mg per liter of 2,4-D. After two weeks the tissue can be transferred to regeneration medium (Fromm et al. (1990) Bio/Technology 8:833-839).

Example 6 Expression of Chimeric Genes in Dicot Cells

A seed-specific expression cassette composed of the promoter and transcription terminator from the gene encoding the β subunit of the seed storage protein phaseolin from the bean Phaseolus vulgaris (Doyle et al. (1986) J. Biol. Chem. 261:9228-9238) can be used for expression of the instant polypeptides in transformed soybean. The phaseolin cassette includes about 500 nucleotides upstream (5′) from the translation initiation codon and about 1650 nucleotides downstream (3′) from the translation stop codon of phaseolin. Between the 5′ and 3′ regions are the unique restriction endonuclease sites Nco I (which includes the ATG translation initiation codon), Sma I, Kpn I and Xba I. The entire cassette is flanked by Hind III sites.

The cDNA fragment of this gene may be generated by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) of the cDNA clone using appropriate oligonucleotide primers. Cloning sites can be incorporated into the oligonucleotides to provide proper orientation of the DNA fragment when inserted into the expression vector. Amplification is then performed as described above, and the isolated fragment is inserted into a pUC18 vector carrying the seed expression cassette.

Soybean embroys may then be transformed with the expression vector comprising sequences encoding the instant polypeptides. To induce somatic embryos, cotyledons, 3-5 mm in length dissected from surface sterilized, immature seeds of the soybean cultivar A2872, can be cultured in the light or dark at 26° C. on an appropriate agar medium for 6-10 weeks. Somatic embryos which produce secondary embryos are then excised and placed into a suitable liquid medium. After repeated selection for clusters of somatic embryos which multiplied as early, globular staged embryos, the suspensions are maintained as described below.

Soybean embryogenic suspension cultures can maintained in 35 mL liquid media on a rotary shaker, 150 rpm, at 26° C. with florescent lights on a 16:8 hour day/night schedule. Cultures are subcultured every two weeks by inoculating approximately 35 mg of tissue into 35 mL of liquid medium.

Soybean embryogenic suspension cultures may then be transformed by the method of particle gun bombardment (Klein et al. (1987) Nature (London) 327:70-73, U.S. Pat. No. 4,945,050). A DuPont Biolistic™ PDS 1000/HE instrument (helium retrofit) can be used for these transformations.

A selectable marker gene which can be used to facilitate soybean transformation is a chimeric gene composed of the 35S promoter from Cauliflower Mosaic Virus (Odell et al. (1985) Nature 313:810-812), the hygromycin phosphotransferase gene from plasmid pJR225 (from E. coli; Gritz et al.(1983) Gene 25:179-188) and the 3′ region of the nopaline synthase gene from the T-DNA of the Ti plasmid of Agrobacterium tumefaciens. The seed expression cassette comprising the phaseolin 5′ region, the fragment encoding the instant polypeptides and the phaseolin 3′ region can be isolated as a restriction fragment. This fragment can then be inserted into a unique restriction site of the vector carrying the marker gene.

To 50 μL of a 60 mg/mL 1 μm gold particle suspension is added (in order): 5 μL DNA (1 μg/μL), 20 μl spermidine (0.1 M), and 50 μL CaCl₂ (2.5 M). The particle preparation is then agitated for three minutes, spun in a microfuge for 10 seconds and the supernatant removed. The DNA-coated particles are then washed once in 400 μL 70% ethanol and resuspended in 40 μL of anhydrous ethanol. The DNA/particle suspension can be sonicated three times for one second each. Five μL of the DNA-coated gold particles are then loaded on each macro carrier disk.

Approximately 300-400 mg of a two-week-old suspension culture is placed in an empty 60×15 mm petri dish and the residual liquid removed from the tissue with a pipette. For each transformation experiment, approximately 5-10 plates of tissue are normally bombarded. Membrane rupture pressure is set at 1100 psi and the chamber is evacuated to a vacuum of 28 inches mercury. The tissue is placed approximately 3.5 inches away from the retaining screen and bombarded three times. Following bombardment, the tissue can be divided in half and placed back into liquid and cultured as described above.

Five to seven days post bombardment, the liquid media may be exchanged with fresh media, and eleven to twelve days post bombardment with fresh media containing 50 mg/mL hygromycin. This selective media can be refreshed weekly. Seven to eight weeks post bombardment, green, transformed tissue may be observed growing from untransformed, necrotic embryogenic clusters. Isolated green tissue is removed and inoculated into individual flasks to generate new, clonally propagated, transformed embryogenic suspension cultures. Each new line may be treated as an independent transformation event. These suspensions can then be subcultured and maintained as clusters of immature embryos or regenerated into whole plants by maturation and germination of individual somatic embryos.

Example 7 Expression of Chimeric Genes in Microbial Cells

The cDNAs encoding the instant polypeptides can be inserted into the T7 E. coli expression vector pBT430. This vector is a derivative of pET-3a (Rosenberg et al. (1987) Gene 56:125-135) which employs the bacteriophage T7 RNA polymerase/T7 promoter system. Plasmid pBT430 was constructed by first destroying the EcoR I and Hind III sites in pET-3a at their original positions. An oligonucleotide adaptor containing EcoR I and Hind III sites was inserted at the BamH I site of pET-3a. This created pET-3aM with additional unique cloning sites for insertion of genes into the expression vector. Then, the Nde I site at the position of translation initiation was converted to an Nco I site using oligonucleotide-directed mutagenesis. The DNA sequence of pET-3aM in this region, 5′-CATATGG, was converted to 5′-CCCATGG in pBT430.

Plasmid DNA containing a cDNA may be appropriately digested to release a nucleic acid fragment encoding the protein. This fragment may then be purified on a 1% NuSieve GTG™ low melting agarose gel (FMC). Buffer and agarose contain 10 μg/ml ethidium bromide for visualization of the DNA fragment. The fragment can then be purified from the agarose gel by digestion with GELase™ (Epicentre Technologies) according to the manufacturer's instructions, ethanol precipitated, dried and resuspended in 20 μL of water. Appropriate oligonucleotide adapters may be ligated to the fragment using T4 DNA ligase (New England Biolabs, Beverly, Mass.). The fragment containing the ligated adapters can be purified from the excess adapters using low melting agarose as described above. The vector pBT430 is digested, dephosphorylated with alkaline phosphatase (NEB) and deproteinized with phenol/chloroform as described above. The prepared vector pBT430 and fragment can then be ligated at 16° C. for 15 hours followed by transformation into DH5 electrocompetent cells (GIBCO BRL). Transformants can be selected on agar plates containing LB media and 100 μg/mL ampicillin. Transformants containing the gene encoding the instant polypeptides are then screened for the correct orientation with respect to the T7 promoter by restriction enzyme analysis.

For high level expression, a plasmid clone with the cDNA insert in the correct orientation relative to the T7 promoter can be transformed into E. coli strain BL21(DE3) (Studier et al. (1986) J. Mol. Biol. 189:113-130). Cultures are grown in LB medium containing ampicillin (100 mg/L) at 25° C. At an optical density at 600 nm of approximately 1, IPTG (isopropylthio-β-galactoside, the inducer) can be added to a final concentration of 0.4 mM and incubation can be continued for 3 h at 25°. Cells are then harvested by centrifugation and re-suspended in 50 μL of 50 mM Tris-HCl at pH 8.0 containing 0.1 mM DTT and 0.2 mM phenyl methylsulfonyl fluoride. A small amount of 1 mm glass beads can be added and the mixture sonicated 3 times for about 5 seconds each time with a microprobe sonicator. The mixture is centrifuged and the protein concentration of the supernatant determined. One μg of protein from the soluble fraction of the culture can be separated by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Gels can be observed for protein bands migrating at the expected molecular weight.

Example 8 Evaluating Compounds for Their Ability to Inhibit the Activity of Enzymes Involved in the N-End Rule Pathway of Protein Degradation

The polypeptides described herein may be produced using any number of methods known to those skilled in the art. Such methods include, but are not limited to, expression in bacteria as described in Example 7, or expression in eukaryotic cell culture, in planta, and using viral expression systems in suitably infected organisms or cell lines. The instant polypeptides may be expressed either as mature forms of the proteins as observed in vivo or as fusion proteins by covalent attachment to a variety of enzymes, proteins or affinity tags. Common fusion protein partners include glutathione S-transferase (“GST”), thioredoxin (“Trx”), maltose binding protein, and C- and/or N-terminal hexahistidine polypeptide (“(His)₆”). The fusion proteins may be engineered with a protease recognition site at the fusion point so that fusion partners can be separated by protease digestion to yield intact mature enzyme. Examples of such proteases include thrombin, enterokinase and factor Xa. However, any protease can be used which specifically cleaves the peptide connecting the fusion protein and the enzyme.

Purification of the instant polypeptides, if desired, may utilize any number of separation technologies familiar to those skilled in the art of protein purification. Examples of such methods include, but are not limited to, homogenization, filtration, centrifugation, heat denaturation, ammonium sulfate precipitation, desalting, pH precipitation, ion exchange chromatography, hydrophobic interaction chromatography and affinity chromatography, wherein the affinity ligand represents a substrate, substrate analog or inhibitor. When the instant polypeptides are expressed as fusion proteins, the purification protocol may include the use of an affinity resin which is specific for the fusion protein tag attached to the expressed enzyme or an affinity resin containing ligands which are specific for the enzyme. For example, the instant polypeptides may be expressed as a fusion protein coupled to the C-terninus of thioredoxin. In addition, a (His)₆ peptide may be engineered into the N-terminus of the fused thioredoxin moiety to afford additional opportunities for affinity purification. Other suitable affinity resins could be synthesized by linking the appropriate ligands to any suitable resin such as Sepharose-4B. In an alternate embodiment, a thioredoxin fusion protein may be eluted using dithiothreitol; however, elution may be accomplished using other reagents which interact to displace the thioredoxin from the resin. These reagents include β-mercaptoethanol or other reduced thiol. The eluted fusion protein may be subjected to further purification by traditional means as stated above, if desired. Proteolytic cleavage of the thioredoxin fusion protein and the enzyme may be accomplished after the fusion protein is purified or while the protein is still bound to the ThioBond™ affinity resin or other resin.

Crude, partially purified or purified enzyme, either alone or as a fusion protein, may be utilized in assays for the evaluation of compounds for their ability to inhibit enzymatic activation of the instant polypeptides disclosed herein. Assays may be conducted under well known experimental conditions which permit optimal enzymatic activity. For example, an assay for arginyl-tRNA-protein transferase is presented by Gonda et al. (1989) J. Biol. Chem. 264, 16700-16712. A general assay for isopeptidase is presented by Dang, L. C. et al. (1998) Biochemistry 37:1868-1879.

16 1 2060 DNA Glycine max 1 tgccccccaa aacccaagaa gaaatggcga gtagcagcag caacactccg aaggaaagcg 60 tggttgacga tcggggaagg cgtcgaacct cttgtggcta ttgcagatcc tctcgtgaca 120 atagcatctc tcatggcatg tgggcacata gccttacagt ggatgactac caagatcttc 180 ttgattgtgg ctggagaagg tctggatgtt ttctttataa accagagatg gaaaggacat 240 gctgcccttc ttatacaatt cgcttgaaag caagtaactt tgttccttct aaggagcaac 300 ttcgtgtatc tatacgaatg caaaggtttt tagatggaac cttggatgta aaaaaagtcg 360 atgtcacgga ggacccaacc aaatcaggaa acttctccag tcctatgtca gaagaatcct 420 tagctgctgg cagtgaaaac aaggatgaag ttgaaaaatc tttgcattta tcaaaccaaa 480 ttgataatgt aatacacatc ctcattgaga ggggggaatt tgcctctggt attcaattac 540 caaaagcttc agtgaaaaga gtttcacagg gaaaaaggaa gttactagtc aatggatcag 600 aagatctctt atatagtagc aatatagcct ttcaaattgc agcatctata aaacgagcac 660 aatcatgtga caaggttgtc aatgattcca aaccatcaag agtttgtgaa aaggagaatg 720 attcatctcc taaaattatt gcagaaaagc tagtagcttc tttagatcca actgtgaaaa 780 attctggttt gtctatcagg gcttgcaatg gacatatcaa tttttatgct tctagtaagc 840 aagtttcctt gaacagaagt gttcaaaatg ctccagttcc taaaaattct agaatgaagc 900 attacagtgg aggaaattgt ttgattggtc aggtaaaaag gcgaaagctt gagatccgtt 960 taaacagatc cagttttgat ccagaagaat ttgctttgta cagaagatat cagctcaaag 1020 tacataatga taaaccacaa aatgtcacag agaactcata tcgcagtttt ttggttgata 1080 ctccattaat acaagtttct cctactggtg gtagcacagt tcctccttgt ggttttggct 1140 ctttccatca acaatatcta atagatggcc agttagtggc agttggtgtt atagatatcc 1200 ttcccaaatg tttgtcaagt aaatatttgt tctgggatcc agactttgcc tatctatcac 1260 taggcaagta ctcagctttt caagaaatag gttgggtgaa agaaaaccag gtttattgtc 1320 ctagtctaca atactattat cttggctatt atattcactc ttgcaacaag atgagataca 1380 aagctgcata tcacccttca gagcttttat gccctcttcg ctatcagtgg gttccatttg 1440 acattgcaag gcctctgctt gacagaaaac cttatgttgt cttatcagat tcttccattt 1500 tacaaaatgg agagtcatcc ctacctcaaa ttactgacga tgtaatggga agggattttg 1560 atgatgttgg ccaagaagat gcaaatgatg ttccaatgct tgatgaagaa gaaatggttg 1620 attctgaatc tgaatgctct gatgatgaac ctgacctaga aaccacttca gatgatgatc 1680 cagaaattgt tgatgtcagc aaggttttgc tagggataaa gggatctcat gtgaaataca 1740 aggatctgtg ggttgtcttt gatcctgagc agcggagtta cttggagtca cgattgcgga 1800 gatacaggaa ggttgtgggt ccagcgctat ccgagagaat ggtccattcg ctcggataat 1860 gttaatgttg gtacttgaat ttaataagat gctactgtta atctccccag gaaaaaaaaa 1920 aaaaaaactc tgcaaagaag attcatgtat tcttcctttg aatggtctga caatgttggc 1980 aatagcaatg ttgtgaaccc ataagttttt ggttaatgga cattttacat atcttttttt 2040 acaaaaaaaa aaaaaaaaaa 2060 2 611 PRT Glycine max 2 Met Ala Ser Ser Ser Ser Asn Thr Pro Lys Glu Ser Val Val Asp Asp 1 5 10 15 Arg Gly Arg Arg Arg Thr Ser Cys Gly Tyr Cys Arg Ser Ser Arg Asp 20 25 30 Asn Ser Ile Ser His Gly Met Trp Ala His Ser Leu Thr Val Asp Asp 35 40 45 Tyr Gln Asp Leu Leu Asp Cys Gly Trp Arg Arg Ser Gly Cys Phe Leu 50 55 60 Tyr Lys Pro Glu Met Glu Arg Thr Cys Cys Pro Ser Tyr Thr Ile Arg 65 70 75 80 Leu Lys Ala Ser Asn Phe Val Pro Ser Lys Glu Gln Leu Arg Val Ser 85 90 95 Ile Arg Met Gln Arg Phe Leu Asp Gly Thr Leu Asp Val Lys Lys Val 100 105 110 Asp Val Thr Glu Asp Pro Thr Lys Ser Gly Asn Phe Ser Ser Pro Met 115 120 125 Ser Glu Glu Ser Leu Ala Ala Gly Ser Glu Asn Lys Asp Glu Val Glu 130 135 140 Lys Ser Leu His Leu Ser Asn Gln Ile Asp Asn Val Ile His Ile Leu 145 150 155 160 Ile Glu Arg Gly Glu Phe Ala Ser Gly Ile Gln Leu Pro Lys Ala Ser 165 170 175 Val Lys Arg Val Ser Gln Gly Lys Arg Lys Leu Leu Val Asn Gly Ser 180 185 190 Glu Asp Leu Leu Tyr Ser Ser Asn Ile Ala Phe Gln Ile Ala Ala Ser 195 200 205 Ile Lys Arg Ala Gln Ser Cys Asp Lys Val Val Asn Asp Ser Lys Pro 210 215 220 Ser Arg Val Cys Glu Lys Glu Asn Asp Ser Ser Pro Lys Ile Ile Ala 225 230 235 240 Glu Lys Leu Val Ala Ser Leu Asp Pro Thr Val Lys Asn Ser Gly Leu 245 250 255 Ser Ile Arg Ala Cys Asn Gly His Ile Asn Phe Tyr Ala Ser Ser Lys 260 265 270 Gln Val Ser Leu Asn Arg Ser Val Gln Asn Ala Pro Val Pro Lys Asn 275 280 285 Ser Arg Met Lys His Tyr Ser Gly Gly Asn Cys Leu Ile Gly Gln Val 290 295 300 Lys Arg Arg Lys Leu Glu Ile Arg Leu Asn Arg Ser Ser Phe Asp Pro 305 310 315 320 Glu Glu Phe Ala Leu Tyr Arg Arg Tyr Gln Leu Lys Val His Asn Asp 325 330 335 Lys Pro Gln Asn Val Thr Glu Asn Ser Tyr Arg Ser Phe Leu Val Asp 340 345 350 Thr Pro Leu Ile Gln Val Ser Pro Thr Gly Gly Ser Thr Val Pro Pro 355 360 365 Cys Gly Phe Gly Ser Phe His Gln Gln Tyr Leu Ile Asp Gly Gln Leu 370 375 380 Val Ala Val Gly Val Ile Asp Ile Leu Pro Lys Cys Leu Ser Ser Lys 385 390 395 400 Tyr Leu Phe Trp Asp Pro Asp Phe Ala Tyr Leu Ser Leu Gly Lys Tyr 405 410 415 Ser Ala Phe Gln Glu Ile Gly Trp Val Lys Glu Asn Gln Val Tyr Cys 420 425 430 Pro Ser Leu Gln Tyr Tyr Tyr Leu Gly Tyr Tyr Ile His Ser Cys Asn 435 440 445 Lys Met Arg Tyr Lys Ala Ala Tyr His Pro Ser Glu Leu Leu Cys Pro 450 455 460 Leu Arg Tyr Gln Trp Val Pro Phe Asp Ile Ala Arg Pro Leu Leu Asp 465 470 475 480 Arg Lys Pro Tyr Val Val Leu Ser Asp Ser Ser Ile Leu Gln Asn Gly 485 490 495 Glu Ser Ser Leu Pro Gln Ile Thr Asp Asp Val Met Gly Arg Asp Phe 500 505 510 Asp Asp Val Gly Gln Glu Asp Ala Asn Asp Val Pro Met Leu Asp Glu 515 520 525 Glu Glu Met Val Asp Ser Glu Ser Glu Cys Ser Asp Asp Glu Pro Asp 530 535 540 Leu Glu Thr Thr Ser Asp Asp Asp Pro Glu Ile Val Asp Val Ser Lys 545 550 555 560 Val Leu Leu Gly Ile Lys Gly Ser His Val Lys Tyr Lys Asp Leu Trp 565 570 575 Val Val Phe Asp Pro Glu Gln Arg Ser Tyr Leu Glu Ser Arg Leu Arg 580 585 590 Arg Tyr Arg Lys Val Val Gly Pro Ala Leu Ser Glu Arg Met Val His 595 600 605 Ser Leu Gly 610 3 1954 DNA Triticum aestivum 3 gcacgagaag ctcttcttga ccgtggatgg aggaggtctg gctgttttct ctacaagcct 60 gagatggaac ggacatgctg tccggcatat actatacgtc tgaaggcaag tgatttcatt 120 tgttccaaag agcaagaccg tgtacttaaa aggatgcaaa ggtttcttga tggagagctt 180 gacccacagg ttggaagtcc acagtgcaag actaacccta caaaacgttc actcaatgaa 240 cctatgaatt caccaacctt gaaagtatcc agggtatcag catatgaatt tcaaacagcc 300 acgggtccaa gtttagacaa agaagatgag tttattagtt tcctgtctag caaaatcaat 360 gaggcaatag gtacgtgctt ccaaggtgga atagtaggtt ctgatgttga actccctaaa 420 gctgttgtga agactgttaa acctcaagta aaaaagaaag taggaggagc agcacaagaa 480 aagaaaggag gagcagtgca agatttggtg tactcatgca atgtaagttt ccaactggct 540 gcagtaatta aacgtgcatt gcctgaagaa aaatgtgcag tattagggga cctttctcca 600 aactgtattg cagaaaggct ggtgttgaca atggagcatc atggagaaat agctggtttt 660 gcagtgaaag cctgtaatgg ccatctgaac ttctattcag ccactattca gccaattcag 720 aatcatacta gcattgatgc atctgcacaa gcttcttcag ataggtcgac tagctcaaaa 780 caaagctctg tgaacaaaaa tgatgcaaga cataataaaa aagcaagaaa gctggaattt 840 aagatggcaa aatcacattt tgaccctgag gagtttgctt tgtaccaaag atatcagaca 900 aaagttcaca aggaaaagac agttacagaa agctcataca agagatttct ggtcgatacc 960 ccaattgtac ctattccccc aaggagtggt gataatacag ttccgccatg cggttttggt 1020 tcatttcatc agcagtatag aattgatgga aaacttgtgg cagttggtgt agttgatatc 1080 cttcctaaat gtctctcaag caaatatttg ttctgggatc ctgaccttgc tttcctatct 1140 cttggaaagt atacagctct aaaggaaata gattgggtca agacaacaca gaaaagttgc 1200 cccagccttg agtactatta ccttggttat tatatacatt cctgcaacaa gatgagatac 1260 aaagctgcat atcgaccatc agaacttctc tgtccagtcc gttatgagtg ggtgcgctat 1320 gatgctgcaa aacccttact agataagagc ctgtattctg ttatatctga tttctccacc 1380 atggcgcaag atgaaatccc ccaaccacac gcttgtggtc cttgtgatgg atcttcagca 1440 caaaacgacc acagtgagac tcctattgat gaggatgatg aggactcaga gtcagactat 1500 gatgaatcag acatgatggt tgatgaagag atggttcatt cagagtctaa aggtgataca 1560 gctgaggaat gttccgacgt agatgttgaa aacgttatca tgggcctgag cggctctcgg 1620 gttaaataca aggaacttca cagcgttgtc gggccaatcg acaggagaca cctgagtgag 1680 ctggaaaggc agctgagcag atacgcgaaa gtcgttggga aggagctgtc tgaccgtatc 1740 gtctattccc ttagctgagc agcaaacatt ctgcatggca aacgcaacac agccgtccga 1800 aactcgtctc cgattgtttg tgcaagtcat gtaggaaacc agaaactcct ctccgattgt 1860 ttgtgcaagt catgtaggaa acgagatata gatggctgga aaccgatgat gctttcatta 1920 tcaatcgatt cataaaaaaa aaaaaaaaaa aaaa 1954 4 585 PRT Triticum aestivum 4 Ala Arg Glu Ala Leu Leu Asp Arg Gly Trp Arg Arg Ser Gly Cys Phe 1 5 10 15 Leu Tyr Lys Pro Glu Met Glu Arg Thr Cys Cys Pro Ala Tyr Thr Ile 20 25 30 Arg Leu Lys Ala Ser Asp Phe Ile Cys Ser Lys Glu Gln Asp Arg Val 35 40 45 Leu Lys Arg Met Gln Arg Phe Leu Asp Gly Glu Leu Asp Pro Gln Val 50 55 60 Gly Ser Pro Gln Cys Lys Thr Asn Pro Thr Lys Arg Ser Leu Asn Glu 65 70 75 80 Pro Met Asn Ser Pro Thr Leu Lys Val Ser Arg Val Ser Ala Tyr Glu 85 90 95 Phe Gln Thr Ala Thr Gly Pro Ser Leu Asp Lys Glu Asp Glu Phe Ile 100 105 110 Ser Phe Leu Ser Ser Lys Ile Asn Glu Ala Ile Gly Thr Cys Phe Gln 115 120 125 Gly Gly Ile Val Gly Ser Asp Val Glu Leu Pro Lys Ala Val Val Lys 130 135 140 Thr Val Lys Pro Gln Val Lys Lys Lys Val Gly Gly Ala Ala Gln Glu 145 150 155 160 Lys Lys Gly Gly Ala Val Gln Asp Leu Val Tyr Ser Cys Asn Val Ser 165 170 175 Phe Gln Leu Ala Ala Val Ile Lys Arg Ala Leu Pro Glu Glu Lys Cys 180 185 190 Ala Val Leu Gly Asp Leu Ser Pro Asn Cys Ile Ala Glu Arg Leu Val 195 200 205 Leu Thr Met Glu His His Gly Glu Ile Ala Gly Phe Ala Val Lys Ala 210 215 220 Cys Asn Gly His Leu Asn Phe Tyr Ser Ala Thr Ile Gln Pro Ile Gln 225 230 235 240 Asn His Thr Ser Ile Asp Ala Ser Ala Gln Ala Ser Ser Asp Arg Ser 245 250 255 Thr Ser Ser Lys Gln Ser Ser Val Asn Lys Asn Asp Ala Arg His Asn 260 265 270 Lys Lys Ala Arg Lys Leu Glu Phe Lys Met Ala Lys Ser His Phe Asp 275 280 285 Pro Glu Glu Phe Ala Leu Tyr Gln Arg Tyr Gln Thr Lys Val His Lys 290 295 300 Glu Lys Thr Val Thr Glu Ser Ser Tyr Lys Arg Phe Leu Val Asp Thr 305 310 315 320 Pro Ile Val Pro Ile Pro Pro Arg Ser Gly Asp Asn Thr Val Pro Pro 325 330 335 Cys Gly Phe Gly Ser Phe His Gln Gln Tyr Arg Ile Asp Gly Lys Leu 340 345 350 Val Ala Val Gly Val Val Asp Ile Leu Pro Lys Cys Leu Ser Ser Lys 355 360 365 Tyr Leu Phe Trp Asp Pro Asp Leu Ala Phe Leu Ser Leu Gly Lys Tyr 370 375 380 Thr Ala Leu Lys Glu Ile Asp Trp Val Lys Thr Thr Gln Lys Ser Cys 385 390 395 400 Pro Ser Leu Glu Tyr Tyr Tyr Leu Gly Tyr Tyr Ile His Ser Cys Asn 405 410 415 Lys Met Arg Tyr Lys Ala Ala Tyr Arg Pro Ser Glu Leu Leu Cys Pro 420 425 430 Val Arg Tyr Glu Trp Val Arg Tyr Asp Ala Ala Lys Pro Leu Leu Asp 435 440 445 Lys Ser Leu Tyr Ser Val Ile Ser Asp Phe Ser Thr Met Ala Gln Asp 450 455 460 Glu Ile Pro Gln Pro His Ala Cys Gly Pro Cys Asp Gly Ser Ser Ala 465 470 475 480 Gln Asn Asp His Ser Glu Thr Pro Ile Asp Glu Asp Asp Glu Asp Ser 485 490 495 Glu Ser Asp Tyr Asp Glu Ser Asp Met Met Val Asp Glu Glu Met Val 500 505 510 His Ser Glu Ser Lys Gly Asp Thr Ala Glu Glu Cys Ser Asp Val Asp 515 520 525 Val Glu Asn Val Ile Met Gly Leu Ser Gly Ser Arg Val Lys Tyr Lys 530 535 540 Glu Leu His Ser Val Val Gly Pro Ile Asp Arg Arg His Leu Ser Glu 545 550 555 560 Leu Glu Arg Gln Leu Ser Arg Tyr Ala Lys Val Val Gly Lys Glu Leu 565 570 575 Ser Asp Arg Ile Val Tyr Ser Leu Ser 580 585 5 2636 DNA Zea mays 5 gcacgagaaa ccctagacgc caccctcccc cgccgcgcgc cgccgcccgc ggacatggat 60 ctccttcgct ctcatctcca caaggtccgg atccccgagc caaccaaccg catccacaag 120 gacgagtgct gcgtctcctt cgacactccg aggtcagagg gaggcctgta cgtggacatg 180 gtctcgttcc tggggttcgg gagggagtac gtggagtgga acttcgagaa gacggggaac 240 cccgtgtacc tccacatcgt tcagcgccgg aagccggagc ccgacgaggc ggatcgcccg 300 cttaagaagc ccaccctcct cgctataggt gtggaaggag gttttggtga tcaagaacca 360 gaatatgatg aaacttttga aatagtcatc ttacctgatt ttatttgtct tccatttccg 420 tcagttgatt tgccagagaa ggttaggctt gcggttgata aagttttact tgctgaaagt 480 gctgatagaa aagaacaact ggctgcttgg gttgctgaca aaaagaacat tagtgcatat 540 gctatggacc tgcagcagct agacaatggt gttattgtgc ctcctactgg atggaagtgt 600 agcaaatgcg ataaaactga gaacctctgg ctgaatttaa ctgatggtat gatcctttgt 660 gggaggaagc tctgggatgg aagtggtggg aataatcatg ccattgaaca ttatgaacag 720 actaaatacc ctcttgcggt gaagcttgga acaattactg ctgatttgga agcggcagat 780 gttttctcgt accctgaaga tgatagtgtt gaagatccgc tattagctca gcacttatca 840 cattttggta tcgatttttc ttcactccaa aagactgaga tgactactgc tgagagggaa 900 cttgatgcta acacaaatta tgactggaat agaatacaag aaagtggaaa agacgctgag 960 cttctgtttg gacccggcta tactggtctt gcgaatcttg ggaatagttg ctatatggct 1020 tcaataatgc aagtcatgtt ttcaatccat cctttcatat caaggtactt cgagaaacag 1080 agtttgaaag ctgcatttgc aactgcaccc gctgatccaa cagtagacct aaacatgcaa 1140 ctgacaaaac tagcgcatgg tttgctctct ggtaaatatt ctgctccagc aaaggagggg 1200 caagaaggga tacgttctcg catgtttaag tcagttatca ctgcgaacca tcctgaattt 1260 tcaagcatga gacaacagga tgtccttgaa ttcttccttc accttattga cagagttgag 1320 aaggcaaacc ctggagaccg tgagctaaat cctttttccg gtttcaagtt tgttgttgaa 1380 gagagggttc agtgcccttc tgggaaggtt tcttacaaca aacgatctga caacgttctt 1440 tctttgagca taccactgca tgaggcaact aataaagagc agctagaagc ttttaatgag 1500 aagaaagctg caatgaactt ggatggaaaa gaagtgtcta atgaggatat tgtcaggcct 1560 agagtcccat tggaggcatg cttgtcaagt ttttcagggc cagaggagat tccagatttt 1620 tatagcactg cattaaattc aaagactacc gtcactaaga cagctggttt cactaccttt 1680 cctgattacc ttgtgctgca catgcgtaag tttgtaatgg aaacaggatg ggtgccaaag 1740 aaactcgatg tttatataga tgtgccagat acaattgata tcacacatat gcgcagcaaa 1800 ggattacagc ctggggaaga gctgctacct gaaggaggtt ctggtgacga cagtgccgag 1860 cctgctaatc ctgttgccag tgaggatatt gtaacccagc ttgcaagcat gggcttcaac 1920 taccttcatt gtcagaaagc tgctattaac acatcaaaca caggagttga ggaagcgatg 1980 aattggctcc tctcgcacat ggatgatcca gatataaacg acccaatatc aaaagattca 2040 cgtgcttatg agccatctgt tgacgaagca agtgttcaaa ctctcatctc ctttggattc 2100 caggaagaca ttgccataaa ggccctgaaa gcttctggtg gtaatatcga gaaagctaca 2160 gactggattt tcagccaccc cgaagcatct acctcagcat ctgctgattc ttccactagc 2220 aatgtaaatg ctgatgacac atatattcca gatggaagtg gcagatacaa gctgatggcg 2280 ttcgtgagcc atatgggcac ctctacccac tgcgggcact acgtagctca tgtcctcaaa 2340 gacgggaggt ggacaatctt taacgacagc aaggtcgcag tatctgttga cctgcccaag 2400 gaaatgggct acctctattt ctttcagagg attagcaact aggcacgtca cacaatggaa 2460 agaatggtgg gctgttagga tactgtcttg ctgattttaa agcgaacgtt tactcacatc 2520 ctgccatgct ggttactgaa tggtcaaccg ggatatttgc ttttttgttc cttgagacct 2580 cgattggcat cttccggtta catctgtgtt ttttttatta aaaaaaaaaa aaaaaa 2636 6 795 PRT Zea mays 6 Met Asp Leu Leu Arg Ser His Leu His Lys Val Arg Ile Pro Glu Pro 1 5 10 15 Thr Asn Arg Ile His Lys Asp Glu Cys Cys Val Ser Phe Asp Thr Pro 20 25 30 Arg Ser Glu Gly Gly Leu Tyr Val Asp Met Val Ser Phe Leu Gly Phe 35 40 45 Gly Arg Glu Tyr Val Glu Trp Asn Phe Glu Lys Thr Gly Asn Pro Val 50 55 60 Tyr Leu His Ile Val Gln Arg Arg Lys Pro Glu Pro Asp Glu Ala Asp 65 70 75 80 Arg Pro Leu Lys Lys Pro Thr Leu Leu Ala Ile Gly Val Glu Gly Gly 85 90 95 Phe Gly Asp Gln Glu Pro Glu Tyr Asp Glu Thr Phe Glu Ile Val Ile 100 105 110 Leu Pro Asp Phe Ile Cys Leu Pro Phe Pro Ser Val Asp Leu Pro Glu 115 120 125 Lys Val Arg Leu Ala Val Asp Lys Val Leu Leu Ala Glu Ser Ala Asp 130 135 140 Arg Lys Glu Gln Leu Ala Ala Trp Val Ala Asp Lys Lys Asn Ile Ser 145 150 155 160 Ala Tyr Ala Met Asp Leu Gln Gln Leu Asp Asn Gly Val Ile Val Pro 165 170 175 Pro Thr Gly Trp Lys Cys Ser Lys Cys Asp Lys Thr Glu Asn Leu Trp 180 185 190 Leu Asn Leu Thr Asp Gly Met Ile Leu Cys Gly Arg Lys Leu Trp Asp 195 200 205 Gly Ser Gly Gly Asn Asn His Ala Ile Glu His Tyr Glu Gln Thr Lys 210 215 220 Tyr Pro Leu Ala Val Lys Leu Gly Thr Ile Thr Ala Asp Leu Glu Ala 225 230 235 240 Ala Asp Val Phe Ser Tyr Pro Glu Asp Asp Ser Val Glu Asp Pro Leu 245 250 255 Leu Ala Gln His Leu Ser His Phe Gly Ile Asp Phe Ser Ser Leu Gln 260 265 270 Lys Thr Glu Met Thr Thr Ala Glu Arg Glu Leu Asp Ala Asn Thr Asn 275 280 285 Tyr Asp Trp Asn Arg Ile Gln Glu Ser Gly Lys Asp Ala Glu Leu Leu 290 295 300 Phe Gly Pro Gly Tyr Thr Gly Leu Ala Asn Leu Gly Asn Ser Cys Tyr 305 310 315 320 Met Ala Ser Ile Met Gln Val Met Phe Ser Ile His Pro Phe Ile Ser 325 330 335 Arg Tyr Phe Glu Lys Gln Ser Leu Lys Ala Ala Phe Ala Thr Ala Pro 340 345 350 Ala Asp Pro Thr Val Asp Leu Asn Met Gln Leu Thr Lys Leu Ala His 355 360 365 Gly Leu Leu Ser Gly Lys Tyr Ser Ala Pro Ala Lys Glu Gly Gln Glu 370 375 380 Gly Ile Arg Ser Arg Met Phe Lys Ser Val Ile Thr Ala Asn His Pro 385 390 395 400 Glu Phe Ser Ser Met Arg Gln Gln Asp Val Leu Glu Phe Phe Leu His 405 410 415 Leu Ile Asp Arg Val Glu Lys Ala Asn Pro Gly Asp Arg Glu Leu Asn 420 425 430 Pro Phe Ser Gly Phe Lys Phe Val Val Glu Glu Arg Val Gln Cys Pro 435 440 445 Ser Gly Lys Val Ser Tyr Asn Lys Arg Ser Asp Asn Val Leu Ser Leu 450 455 460 Ser Ile Pro Leu His Glu Ala Thr Asn Lys Glu Gln Leu Glu Ala Phe 465 470 475 480 Asn Glu Lys Lys Ala Ala Met Asn Leu Asp Gly Lys Glu Val Ser Asn 485 490 495 Glu Asp Ile Val Arg Pro Arg Val Pro Leu Glu Ala Cys Leu Ser Ser 500 505 510 Phe Ser Gly Pro Glu Glu Ile Pro Asp Phe Tyr Ser Thr Ala Leu Asn 515 520 525 Ser Lys Thr Thr Val Thr Lys Thr Ala Gly Phe Thr Thr Phe Pro Asp 530 535 540 Tyr Leu Val Leu His Met Arg Lys Phe Val Met Glu Thr Gly Trp Val 545 550 555 560 Pro Lys Lys Leu Asp Val Tyr Ile Asp Val Pro Asp Thr Ile Asp Ile 565 570 575 Thr His Met Arg Ser Lys Gly Leu Gln Pro Gly Glu Glu Leu Leu Pro 580 585 590 Glu Gly Gly Ser Gly Asp Asp Ser Ala Glu Pro Ala Asn Pro Val Ala 595 600 605 Ser Glu Asp Ile Val Thr Gln Leu Ala Ser Met Gly Phe Asn Tyr Leu 610 615 620 His Cys Gln Lys Ala Ala Ile Asn Thr Ser Asn Thr Gly Val Glu Glu 625 630 635 640 Ala Met Asn Trp Leu Leu Ser His Met Asp Asp Pro Asp Ile Asn Asp 645 650 655 Pro Ile Ser Lys Asp Ser Arg Ala Tyr Glu Pro Ser Val Asp Glu Ala 660 665 670 Ser Val Gln Thr Leu Ile Ser Phe Gly Phe Gln Glu Asp Ile Ala Ile 675 680 685 Lys Ala Leu Lys Ala Ser Gly Gly Asn Ile Glu Lys Ala Thr Asp Trp 690 695 700 Ile Phe Ser His Pro Glu Ala Ser Thr Ser Ala Ser Ala Asp Ser Ser 705 710 715 720 Thr Ser Asn Val Asn Ala Asp Asp Thr Tyr Ile Pro Asp Gly Ser Gly 725 730 735 Arg Tyr Lys Leu Met Ala Phe Val Ser His Met Gly Thr Ser Thr His 740 745 750 Cys Gly His Tyr Val Ala His Val Leu Lys Asp Gly Arg Trp Thr Ile 755 760 765 Phe Asn Asp Ser Lys Val Ala Val Ser Val Asp Leu Pro Lys Glu Met 770 775 780 Gly Tyr Leu Tyr Phe Phe Gln Arg Ile Ser Asn 785 790 795 7 2407 DNA Oryza sativa 7 gcacgaggct tggaacaatt actgctgatt tagaagcagc agacgttttc tcatacccag 60 aagatgatag cgttgaagat ccactattag cgcagcattt gtcacatttt ggtattgatt 120 tttcttcact ccaaaagacc gagatgacta ctgctgaaag agagcttgat cacaacacaa 180 attatgactg gaatagaata caagaaagtg gcaaagatgc cgaactttta tacggccctg 240 gttatactgg ccttgtaaat cttggaaata gttgctatat ggcctcagta atgcaagtta 300 tgttttcaac tcatcctttt atatcacgct actttgagaa gcagagcttg aaagctgcat 360 ttgcaattgc cccagctgat ccaacattgg acttgaacat gcaaatgaca aagttggctc 420 atggaatgct ctctggcaaa tactctgtgc caaatcagga gggacaagaa ggaatacacc 480 ctcgtatgtt taagacagtt attgctgcaa agcatcccga attttccagt atgaggcaac 540 aggatgcgct tgatttcttc cttcatctta ttgaccaagt tgatcaggca aacaccggaa 600 accatgagct gaatcctttt acagggttca aattcttcat tgaggagcgt cttcaatgcc 660 cttctggaaa agtctcctat aacaaacgtt ctgactacat tctttctttg aacataccgt 720 tacatgaagc tactaacaaa gagcagctag aagcatttca tgagaagaaa gctgcaatgg 780 atttggatgg aaaggaagtg tctaatgagg aaattgtgag gcctagagtc ccactggagg 840 catgcttagc aagtttttca ggcgcggagg aagtgcctga attttacagc actgcattga 900 attcaaagac aacagcaatt aagactgctg gctttaaaac atttcctgat tacctggtgt 960 tgcagatgcg caagtttgta atggaagcag gatgggtgcc aaagaaacta gatgtatacg 1020 tagatgtgcc agatataatt gatatctcgc acatgcgcag caaaggcata cagcctggtg 1080 aagagctact acctgaagga gcttctggtg ataacaaagc tgaacctgtt catcctgttg 1140 ccagtgagga cattgtatct cagctggcaa gcatggggtt caattatctt cattgccaga 1200 aagctgctat tagtacatca aacacaggag ttgaggaggc gatgaattgg cttctctcac 1260 acatggatga tccagatatc aacgatccaa tatctaaaga ttcacaggct gctgaacaaa 1320 ctgttgatga aactagcgtt caaactcttg tttccttcgg atttcaagaa gatgttgctc 1380 gaaaggcctt ggcagcttct ggtggaaata tcgagagagc aacagactgg atttttagcc 1440 accctgaggc ttttagctca gtacctactg attcttcaac aagcaatatg gaagatgatg 1500 atgcacacat accagatgga agtggcagat acaaattgat ggcgtttgtg agccatatgg 1560 gcacctctac ccattgtggg cactacgttg cccatgtcct caaagacggg aggtgggtaa 1620 tattcaatga tagtaaggtt gctgcctctg tcgacttgcc caaggatatg ggatacctgt 1680 atttctttca aaggatataa agcattagca gctgaaagac ttcacaggca agaaatacat 1740 tcgctcgctg acttgagtct tagttatggg cacctatgat caaaagcacg gcggatagtc 1800 ggtgaacttg catgcagatg gacttagagc gagtgttggt cacatcctgt cgtgctgact 1860 ttagactgat cgatcagctg ggatatcact ttgttccatg gcattatgca ttggcacatt 1920 caattcttct ttgtcgatct atcatcttag cgttaacatt ctgccatgaa aaaaaaaaaa 1980 aaaaaaaaaa aaaaaaaaaa aaaaaaaaaa aaaaaaaaaa aaaaaaaaaa aaaaaaaaaa 2040 aaaaactccg ggggggggcc cggaaccaaa ttcccccaaa attaattcta ataacccccc 2100 caaattggcc ttcttttaaa aacttcttgt gggaaaaacc ttgggtttac caaattaaat 2160 ccctttgaaa aaaatcccct tttcccaaat tgggtaaaaa aaaaaaaggc ccaaaccatt 2220 tccctttcca aaaattttcc aaacctaaat ggcaaatgga accccccctt taccgggcaa 2280 taaaaccggg ggggtttggt gtttaaccca aagttaaccg ctaaaatttc aaacccccaa 2340 acgcccgccc ctttccattt ttttcctttc tttttcacaa aattttcccg agttttcccc 2400 ttaaaat 2407 8 565 PRT Oryza sativa 8 Thr Arg Leu Gly Thr Ile Thr Ala Asp Leu Glu Ala Ala Asp Val Phe 1 5 10 15 Ser Tyr Pro Glu Asp Asp Ser Val Glu Asp Pro Leu Leu Ala Gln His 20 25 30 Leu Ser His Phe Gly Ile Asp Phe Ser Ser Leu Gln Lys Thr Glu Met 35 40 45 Thr Thr Ala Glu Arg Glu Leu Asp His Asn Thr Asn Tyr Asp Trp Asn 50 55 60 Arg Ile Gln Glu Ser Gly Lys Asp Ala Glu Leu Leu Tyr Gly Pro Gly 65 70 75 80 Tyr Thr Gly Leu Val Asn Leu Gly Asn Ser Cys Tyr Met Ala Ser Val 85 90 95 Met Gln Val Met Phe Ser Thr His Pro Phe Ile Ser Arg Tyr Phe Glu 100 105 110 Lys Gln Ser Leu Lys Ala Ala Phe Ala Ile Ala Pro Ala Asp Pro Thr 115 120 125 Leu Asp Leu Asn Met Gln Met Thr Lys Leu Ala His Gly Met Leu Ser 130 135 140 Gly Lys Tyr Ser Val Pro Asn Gln Glu Gly Gln Glu Gly Ile His Pro 145 150 155 160 Arg Met Phe Lys Thr Val Ile Ala Ala Lys His Pro Glu Phe Ser Ser 165 170 175 Met Arg Gln Gln Asp Ala Leu Asp Phe Phe Leu His Leu Ile Asp Gln 180 185 190 Val Asp Gln Ala Asn Thr Gly Asn His Glu Leu Asn Pro Phe Thr Gly 195 200 205 Phe Lys Phe Phe Ile Glu Glu Arg Leu Gln Cys Pro Ser Gly Lys Val 210 215 220 Ser Tyr Asn Lys Arg Ser Asp Tyr Ile Leu Ser Leu Asn Ile Pro Leu 225 230 235 240 His Glu Ala Thr Asn Lys Glu Gln Leu Glu Ala Phe His Glu Lys Lys 245 250 255 Ala Ala Met Asp Leu Asp Gly Lys Glu Val Ser Asn Glu Glu Ile Val 260 265 270 Arg Pro Arg Val Pro Leu Glu Ala Cys Leu Ala Ser Phe Ser Gly Ala 275 280 285 Glu Glu Val Pro Glu Phe Tyr Ser Thr Ala Leu Asn Ser Lys Thr Thr 290 295 300 Ala Ile Lys Thr Ala Gly Phe Lys Thr Phe Pro Asp Tyr Leu Val Leu 305 310 315 320 Gln Met Arg Lys Phe Val Met Glu Ala Gly Trp Val Pro Lys Lys Leu 325 330 335 Asp Val Tyr Val Asp Val Pro Asp Ile Ile Asp Ile Ser His Met Arg 340 345 350 Ser Lys Gly Ile Gln Pro Gly Glu Glu Leu Leu Pro Glu Gly Ala Ser 355 360 365 Gly Asp Asn Lys Ala Glu Pro Val His Pro Val Ala Ser Glu Asp Ile 370 375 380 Val Ser Gln Leu Ala Ser Met Gly Phe Asn Tyr Leu His Cys Gln Lys 385 390 395 400 Ala Ala Ile Ser Thr Ser Asn Thr Gly Val Glu Glu Ala Met Asn Trp 405 410 415 Leu Leu Ser His Met Asp Asp Pro Asp Ile Asn Asp Pro Ile Ser Lys 420 425 430 Asp Ser Gln Ala Ala Glu Gln Thr Val Asp Glu Thr Ser Val Gln Thr 435 440 445 Leu Val Ser Phe Gly Phe Gln Glu Asp Val Ala Arg Lys Ala Leu Ala 450 455 460 Ala Ser Gly Gly Asn Ile Glu Arg Ala Thr Asp Trp Ile Phe Ser His 465 470 475 480 Pro Glu Ala Phe Ser Ser Val Pro Thr Asp Ser Ser Thr Ser Asn Met 485 490 495 Glu Asp Asp Asp Ala His Ile Pro Asp Gly Ser Gly Arg Tyr Lys Leu 500 505 510 Met Ala Phe Val Ser His Met Gly Thr Ser Thr His Cys Gly His Tyr 515 520 525 Val Ala His Val Leu Lys Asp Gly Arg Trp Val Ile Phe Asn Asp Ser 530 535 540 Lys Val Ala Ala Ser Val Asp Leu Pro Lys Asp Met Gly Tyr Leu Tyr 545 550 555 560 Phe Phe Gln Arg Ile 565 9 578 DNA Zea mays unsure (47) 9 gtttatatag atgtgccaga tacaattgat atcacacata tgcgcanaaa ggattacagc 60 ctggggaaga gctgctacct gaaggaggtt ctggtgacga cagtgccgag cctgctaatc 120 ctgttgccag tgaggatatt gtaacccagc ttgcaagcat gggcttcaac taccttcatt 180 gtcagaaagc tgctattaac acatcaaaca caggagttga ggaagcgatg aattggctcc 240 tctcgcacat ggatgatcca gatataaacg acccaatatc aaaagattca cgtgcttatg 300 agccatctgt tgacgaagca agtgttcaaa ctctcatctc ctttggattc caggaagaca 360 ttgccataaa ggccctgaaa gcttctggtg gtaatatcga gaaagctaca gactggattt 420 tcagccaccc cgaagcatct acctcagcat ctgctgattc ttccactagc aatgtaaatg 480 ctgatgacac atatattcca gatggaagtg gcagatacaa gctgatggcg ttcgtgagcc 540 atatgggcac ctctaaccca ctgcgggcac tacgtagc 578 10 192 PRT Zea mays UNSURE (16)..(17) 10 Val Tyr Ile Asp Val Pro Asp Thr Ile Asp Ile Thr His Met Arg Xaa 1 5 10 15 Xaa Gly Leu Gln Pro Gly Glu Glu Leu Leu Pro Glu Gly Gly Ser Gly 20 25 30 Asp Asp Ser Ala Glu Pro Ala Asn Pro Val Ala Ser Glu Asp Ile Val 35 40 45 Thr Gln Leu Ala Ser Met Gly Phe Asn Tyr Leu His Cys Gln Lys Ala 50 55 60 Ala Ile Asn Thr Ser Asn Thr Gly Val Glu Glu Ala Met Asn Trp Leu 65 70 75 80 Leu Ser His Met Asp Asp Pro Asp Ile Asn Asp Pro Ile Ser Lys Asp 85 90 95 Ser Arg Ala Tyr Glu Pro Ser Val Asp Glu Ala Ser Val Gln Thr Leu 100 105 110 Ile Ser Phe Gly Phe Gln Glu Asp Ile Ala Ile Lys Ala Leu Lys Ala 115 120 125 Ser Gly Gly Asn Ile Glu Lys Ala Thr Asp Trp Ile Phe Ser His Pro 130 135 140 Glu Ala Ser Thr Ser Ala Ser Ala Asp Ser Ser Thr Ser Asn Val Asn 145 150 155 160 Ala Asp Asp Thr Tyr Ile Pro Asp Gly Ser Gly Arg Tyr Lys Leu Met 165 170 175 Ala Phe Val Ser His Met Gly Thr Ser Thr His Cys Gly His Tyr Val 180 185 190 11 2018 DNA Glycine max unsure (17) unsure (19) unsure (46) unsure (50) unsure (80)..(81) unsure (113) unsure (127) unsure (158) unsure (190) unsure (302) unsure (308) unsure (324) unsure (348) unsure (364) unsure (425) unsure (435) unsure (442) 11 tgggctatag gggttgntng gggatttgat aacaatggag ccacantatn aggaaaccca 60 tcagcgtagt tatattaccn ngagtatgtt tctcttccat tcccttctgt ggnattgcca 120 agagaangta ggctgggaag ttgatgcaat cctactanct gagggtggtg aacgaaagga 180 gcacttgcan catggactgc ctgataaaga agaaaaaatg tggggtggaa ctgggcggaa 240 acaaccatgc tgttgagcat taccaagaga cacgcttccc tgttgctgta aagcttggaa 300 cnatcacngc tgatcctgaa gcancaaatg tttactctta tccaaatnat gaaagtgtct 360 tggntccaca attagcgcag catctggcaa tttttgggat tgacttttca tcactacgaa 420 agacngaaat gcaanctgct gnaaagagac ttgatcaaaa tacgaatttt gattggaatc 480 gaatccaaga aagtggacaa gaagtagatc caatttttgg acctggatat acaggattgg 540 tcaatattgg aaacagttgt tacatggcag caactatgca agttgtgttt tcaacaagat 600 ccttcacatc acggtactat ttgaaccaaa gtctaaagaa ggcatttgag atgtctcctg 660 ctgatcccac tgtagaccta aatatgcagt taacaaaatt ggctcacggc atactttctg 720 gtaaatattc tgttccggca tttgagaatg atgaaaaaga aaatgttgct acttcaacta 780 caactgctaa acaagaaggg atacgtccac atatgtttaa atctgtaata gctgccagcc 840 atcctgaatt ttcatctccg aggcaacagg atgctttaga atttttccta cattttcttg 900 atcaagttga gcgagctaat gctgggaaag ttgaactgga tccatcgacg agtttcaaat 960 ttggtattga agatagaatt ttgtgttcat ctggaaaagt tacatataat agaaggcatg 1020 actacattct ttctctcaat atcccattac atgaggcaac taacaaagaa gaattagaat 1080 cctttcacaa actgaaagca gagaaacttg cagaaggaaa ggaaataaat gccaatgaga 1140 ttgtgcgtcc aagggtacct ttagaaactt gccttgcgaa tttctcagct cctgaggaga 1200 tacatgattt ttacagtact gctttgaaga caaagacaac agcactgaag actgcaggtc 1260 tgacctcatt tcctgattac ctggtgttac atatgcggag atttgttatg gaggcagatt 1320 gggtaccaaa aaagcttgat gtgtacattg atgttcctga tatcatagat atcagtcaca 1380 tgcgcagcaa aggtcagcag tctggggaag agctattacc tgatggtgtt cctgaagagg 1440 aagattcaaa caaaatttcg gccaacgatg aaattgttgc ccagctggtt tccatgggct 1500 ttaaccatct ccattgtcag aaagctgcta taaatacatc caatgttgga gtagaagagg 1560 caatgaattg gttgctatct cacatggatg atccagacat tgacaatcct atttccaaag 1620 gccatggctc tgaaactgtt gaccaatcaa aagttgatat tctaatttct tttggatttg 1680 aagaagaaat tgctaggaag gctctgaagg catcggatgg tgacattgag aaagcaacgg 1740 attggatatt taacaatctc gatgcatcag tctccagtat gaatgctgcc ccatcaacct 1800 ctgcatccac taccaatgat gttaacctac ccgatggagg agggaaatat cgacttatgg 1860 ggattgtgag ccacagtgga acttctacgc agtgtggcca ctatgttgct cacattttaa 1920 aagatggtag atgggcaatt ttcaacgaca acaaggtcgg ggcatccatt gatcctccaa 1980 aggaaatggg ctatctttat ttcttcgaaa ggctttga 2018 12 594 PRT Glycine max UNSURE (31) UNSURE (39) UNSURE (44) UNSURE (68) UNSURE (70) 12 Gly Gly Asn Asn His Ala Val Glu His Tyr Gln Glu Thr Arg Phe Pro 1 5 10 15 Val Ala Val Lys Leu Gly Thr Ile Thr Ala Asp Pro Glu Ala Xaa Asn 20 25 30 Val Tyr Ser Tyr Pro Asn Xaa Glu Ser Val Leu Xaa Pro Gln Leu Ala 35 40 45 Gln His Leu Ala Ile Phe Gly Ile Asp Phe Ser Ser Leu Arg Lys Thr 50 55 60 Glu Met Gln Xaa Ala Xaa Lys Arg Leu Asp Gln Asn Thr Asn Phe Asp 65 70 75 80 Trp Asn Arg Ile Gln Glu Ser Gly Gln Glu Val Asp Pro Ile Phe Gly 85 90 95 Pro Gly Tyr Thr Gly Leu Val Asn Ile Gly Asn Ser Cys Tyr Met Ala 100 105 110 Ala Thr Met Gln Val Val Phe Ser Thr Arg Ser Phe Thr Ser Arg Tyr 115 120 125 Tyr Leu Asn Gln Ser Leu Lys Lys Ala Phe Glu Met Ser Pro Ala Asp 130 135 140 Pro Thr Val Asp Leu Asn Met Gln Leu Thr Lys Leu Ala His Gly Ile 145 150 155 160 Leu Ser Gly Lys Tyr Ser Val Pro Ala Phe Glu Asn Asp Glu Lys Glu 165 170 175 Asn Val Ala Thr Ser Thr Thr Thr Ala Lys Gln Glu Gly Ile Arg Pro 180 185 190 His Met Phe Lys Ser Val Ile Ala Ala Ser His Pro Glu Phe Ser Ser 195 200 205 Pro Arg Gln Gln Asp Ala Leu Glu Phe Phe Leu His Phe Leu Asp Gln 210 215 220 Val Glu Arg Ala Asn Ala Gly Lys Val Glu Leu Asp Pro Ser Thr Ser 225 230 235 240 Phe Lys Phe Gly Ile Glu Asp Arg Ile Leu Cys Ser Ser Gly Lys Val 245 250 255 Thr Tyr Asn Arg Arg His Asp Tyr Ile Leu Ser Leu Asn Ile Pro Leu 260 265 270 His Glu Ala Thr Asn Lys Glu Glu Leu Glu Ser Phe His Lys Leu Lys 275 280 285 Ala Glu Lys Leu Ala Glu Gly Lys Glu Ile Asn Ala Asn Glu Ile Val 290 295 300 Arg Pro Arg Val Pro Leu Glu Thr Cys Leu Ala Asn Phe Ser Ala Pro 305 310 315 320 Glu Glu Ile His Asp Phe Tyr Ser Thr Ala Leu Lys Thr Lys Thr Thr 325 330 335 Ala Leu Lys Thr Ala Gly Leu Thr Ser Phe Pro Asp Tyr Leu Val Leu 340 345 350 His Met Arg Arg Phe Val Met Glu Ala Asp Trp Val Pro Lys Lys Leu 355 360 365 Asp Val Tyr Ile Asp Val Pro Asp Ile Ile Asp Ile Ser His Met Arg 370 375 380 Ser Lys Gly Gln Gln Ser Gly Glu Glu Leu Leu Pro Asp Gly Val Pro 385 390 395 400 Glu Glu Glu Asp Ser Asn Lys Ile Ser Ala Asn Asp Glu Ile Val Ala 405 410 415 Gln Leu Val Ser Met Gly Phe Asn His Leu His Cys Gln Lys Ala Ala 420 425 430 Ile Asn Thr Ser Asn Val Gly Val Glu Glu Ala Met Asn Trp Leu Leu 435 440 445 Ser His Met Asp Asp Pro Asp Ile Asp Asn Pro Ile Ser Lys Gly His 450 455 460 Gly Ser Glu Thr Val Asp Gln Ser Lys Val Asp Ile Leu Ile Ser Phe 465 470 475 480 Gly Phe Glu Glu Glu Ile Ala Arg Lys Ala Leu Lys Ala Ser Asp Gly 485 490 495 Asp Ile Glu Lys Ala Thr Asp Trp Ile Phe Asn Asn Leu Asp Ala Ser 500 505 510 Val Ser Ser Met Asn Ala Ala Pro Ser Thr Ser Ala Ser Thr Thr Asn 515 520 525 Asp Val Asn Leu Pro Asp Gly Gly Gly Lys Tyr Arg Leu Met Gly Ile 530 535 540 Val Ser His Ser Gly Thr Ser Thr Gln Cys Gly His Tyr Val Ala His 545 550 555 560 Ile Leu Lys Asp Gly Arg Trp Ala Ile Phe Asn Asp Asn Lys Val Gly 565 570 575 Ala Ser Ile Asp Pro Pro Lys Glu Met Gly Tyr Leu Tyr Phe Phe Glu 580 585 590 Arg Leu 13 1200 DNA Triticum aestivum 13 ctggaggcat gcttagcaag tttttcaggc ggagaggaag tgcctgagtt ttacagcact 60 gcattaaatt caaagacgac agcaattaag actactggcc ttaaaacttt tcctgattac 120 ctggtgcttc agatgcgtaa gtttgtaatg ggagaaggat gggtgccaaa gaaacttgat 180 gtttatattg acgtgccgga tataatcgat atctcgcaca tgcgcagcaa tggtgtacag 240 cctggggaag agctactgcc tgaaggagct tcttgtggca acaaagctga acctgctcgt 300 cctgttgccg acgaggatat tgtatcccag cttgcaaaca tcgggttcaa ttactttgcc 360 tgtcagaaag ctgctattaa tacatcaaat gcaggacttg aggaggcaat gaattggctc 420 ctctcacaca cgcaggatcc agatattaat gagccgatat ctcaagatcc aatgcctgca 480 gaagacacta ttgatgaagc aagtcttcaa actcttgttt cctttggctt tccagaagat 540 gtttcccgaa tggccttgaa agcttccggt ggaaatattg agagagccac ggagtgggtt 600 ttcagccacc ctgaagcatc tagctctgta tctgctgact cttcaacaaa caatgtaaaa 660 gatgacgact cgcacatatc agatggaagt ggcagataca agctgatggc atttgtgagc 720 cacatgggaa cctctacaca ctgtgggcac tatgtcgccc atatcctcaa agatgggagg 780 tggacgatct tcaatgacaa taaggttgct gcatcggtcg acctgcccaa ggacatggga 840 tacctctatt tctttcagag gataagcagt tagagcagaa gatgaagtcg tagttcatgc 900 atgcatatca tccaggagca tggcggatgc tcgaaggact attgcaaatc tgacttgaag 960 cgaccacttc gccacatcct gacgtgctgg tcttaggctg atcacgtggg ataccgcttt 1020 gttggttcag acgttatatg cattggcaac ttcctttacg tttatgctta gtaccatgtg 1080 acactgttca tgcaaagtga atggttgtgt ttggagtcgt acaatctgtc agcgttccgt 1140 tggtttctta ctttcttata gttggaattt tattcgagca aaaaaaaaaa aaaaaaaaaa 1200 14 290 PRT Triticum aestivum 14 Leu Glu Ala Cys Leu Ala Ser Phe Ser Gly Gly Glu Glu Val Pro Glu 1 5 10 15 Phe Tyr Ser Thr Ala Leu Asn Ser Lys Thr Thr Ala Ile Lys Thr Thr 20 25 30 Gly Leu Lys Thr Phe Pro Asp Tyr Leu Val Leu Gln Met Arg Lys Phe 35 40 45 Val Met Gly Glu Gly Trp Val Pro Lys Lys Leu Asp Val Tyr Ile Asp 50 55 60 Val Pro Asp Ile Ile Asp Ile Ser His Met Arg Ser Asn Gly Val Gln 65 70 75 80 Pro Gly Glu Glu Leu Leu Pro Glu Gly Ala Ser Cys Gly Asn Lys Ala 85 90 95 Glu Pro Ala Arg Pro Val Ala Asp Glu Asp Ile Val Ser Gln Leu Ala 100 105 110 Asn Ile Gly Phe Asn Tyr Phe Ala Cys Gln Lys Ala Ala Ile Asn Thr 115 120 125 Ser Asn Ala Gly Leu Glu Glu Ala Met Asn Trp Leu Leu Ser His Thr 130 135 140 Gln Asp Pro Asp Ile Asn Glu Pro Ile Ser Gln Asp Pro Met Pro Ala 145 150 155 160 Glu Asp Thr Ile Asp Glu Ala Ser Leu Gln Thr Leu Val Ser Phe Gly 165 170 175 Phe Pro Glu Asp Val Ser Arg Met Ala Leu Lys Ala Ser Gly Gly Asn 180 185 190 Ile Glu Arg Ala Thr Glu Trp Val Phe Ser His Pro Glu Ala Ser Ser 195 200 205 Ser Val Ser Ala Asp Ser Ser Thr Asn Asn Val Lys Asp Asp Asp Ser 210 215 220 His Ile Ser Asp Gly Ser Gly Arg Tyr Lys Leu Met Ala Phe Val Ser 225 230 235 240 His Met Gly Thr Ser Thr His Cys Gly His Tyr Val Ala His Ile Leu 245 250 255 Lys Asp Gly Arg Trp Thr Ile Phe Asn Asp Asn Lys Val Ala Ala Ser 260 265 270 Val Asp Leu Pro Lys Asp Met Gly Tyr Leu Tyr Phe Phe Gln Arg Ile 275 280 285 Ser Ser 290 15 534 DNA Triticum aestivum unsure (88) unsure (492) unsure (529) unsure (534) 15 agaaagttaa gctcgcaatt gataaagtta tacttgcggg agagtgctga taaaaagcaa 60 caactgggct tcttgggtgg ctgacaanaa aattatcaag tgcacatgct atggatctgc 120 aacaactaaa caatggtgtt attgtgcccc ctaccgggtg gaaagtgtag caagtgtgac 180 aaaactgaga atctctggtt aaatttaact gatggtatga tcctctgtgg gaggtgggtc 240 tgggatggaa ctggtggaaa taatcatgct gttgaacact accaacagac taaatatcct 300 ttagcggtga agcttggaac aattactgct gatttggaag gagcaaacgt ttactcatac 360 ccggaagatg ataagcgtcc gaagattcaa tatttagctc agcacttgtc gcaatttggg 420 attgattttt cctcactcca aaaagactga gatgactact gctgaaaaga gaactttgac 480 cacaacacta anttttgatt tgggaataag aaatacaaag aaagtgggna aagn 534 16 116 PRT Triticum aestivum 16 Ser Ala His Ala Met Asp Leu Gln Gln Leu Asn Asn Gly Val Ile Val 1 5 10 15 Pro Pro Thr Gly Trp Lys Cys Ser Lys Cys Asp Lys Thr Glu Asn Leu 20 25 30 Trp Leu Asn Leu Thr Asp Gly Met Ile Leu Cys Gly Arg Trp Val Trp 35 40 45 Asp Gly Thr Gly Gly Asn Asn His Ala Val Glu His Tyr Gln Gln Thr 50 55 60 Lys Tyr Pro Leu Ala Val Lys Leu Gly Thr Ile Thr Ala Asp Leu Glu 65 70 75 80 Gly Ala Asn Val Tyr Ser Tyr Pro Glu Asp Asp Lys Arg Pro Lys Ile 85 90 95 Gln Tyr Leu Ala Gln His Leu Ser Gln Phe Gly Ile Asp Phe Ser Ser 100 105 110 Leu Gln Lys Asp 115 

What is claimed is:
 1. An isolated polynucleotide that encodes an arginyl-tRNA-protein transferase, the polypeptide having a sequence identity of at least 80%, based on the Clustal method of alignment, when compared to a polypeptide selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs:2 and
 4. 2. The polynucleotide of claim 1 wherein the sequence identity is at least 90%.
 3. The polynucleotide of claim 1 wherein the sequence identity is at least 95%.
 4. The polynucleotide of claim 1 wherein the polynucleotide encodes a polypeptide selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs:2 and
 4. 5. The polynucleotide of claim 1, wherein the polynucleotide comprises a nucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs:1 and
 3. 6. An isolated complement of the polynucleotide of claim 1, wherein (a) the complement and the polynucleotide consist of the same number of nucleotides, and (b) the nucleotide sequences of the complement and the polynucleotide have 100% complementarity.
 7. An isolated polynucleotide that (1) comprises at least 500 contiguous nucleotides, (2) remains hybridized with the isolated polynucleotide of claim 1 under a wash condition of 0.1×SSC, 0.1% SDS, and 65° C. and (3) encodes an arginyl-tRNA-potein transferase.
 8. A chimeric gene comprising the polynucleotide of claim 1 operably linked to at least one regulatory sequence.
 9. A cell comprising the polynucleotide of claim
 1. 10. The cell of claim 9, wherein the cell is selected from the group consisting of a yeast cell, a bacterial cell and a plant cell.
 11. A virus comprising the polynucleotide of claim
 1. 12. A transgenic plant comprising the polynucleotide of claim
 1. 13. A method for transforming a cell comprising introducing into a cell the polynucleotide of claim
 1. 14. A method for producing a transgenic plant comprising (a) transforming a plant cell with the polynucleotide of claim 1, and (b) regenerating a plant from the transformed plant cell. 